Site-specific agriculture based on farmers experiences (SSAFE) for fruits

in Colombia

Secretaries of the Fruit Chains

(mango, avocado , citrus, plántain)

Definition of Site-specific agriculture (SSA):

• The Colombian Sugarcane Research Centre (CENICAÑA) pioneer of SSA in Colombia

• CENICAÑA Increased production of sugarcane from 7 t/sugar/ha/yr around 1980, to 12.6 t sugar/ha/yr in the period 2001-2005 by adopting SSA

• According to (CENICAÑA):SSA is the art of managing crop according to the spatial and temporal variation in conditions of the site where they are grown with a view to optimizing production practices (Isaacs et al., 2004).

The concept

• Growing conditions - highly heterogeneous

• Large number of experiments or treatments required to draw firm

conclusions concerning the optimum management of the crop under

diverse conditions

• Each farm is an experimental station

• Every time a farmer plants and harvests a crop it is an experiment or eventevent

• Collective knowledge is far more valuable than individual knowledge

Hypothesis

“Every time a farmer harvests his crop, there is a unique eventevent, an unreplicatedexperiment (Cock, 2007)”

If it were possible to characterize the production system in terms of management and the environmental conditions, and if we were able to collect information on the harvested product of a large number of harvesting events under variedconditions, it should be possible to deduce optimum practices for specific  conditions.

The opportunity• Existence of “global” datasets on environment and socio-economies – these are global in

extent, and local in relevance which can characterize any on-farm experiment that takes place

• Capture and delivery mechanisms for information through (ICTs – mobile phones, internet )

• An organizing world – revolution in rural organizations around supply chains, e.g. farmer organisations

Contribute to increase the competitiveness of fruit producers in Colombia by means of a “Site-specific agriculture based on farmers experiences” system for citrus, mango, avocado and plantain, The system is designed to support fruit growers in Colombia in the decision making process about the suitable conditions to grow.

Objective

trai

nin

g

Info

rmat

ion

sys

tem

3 x

Co

ord

inat

ion

Year 1 Year 3

Data “events” gathering Decentralized system1

2

Get contact with partners

Automated processes

3

Data Analysis

Creating farmers groups

4Establishing site-specific recommendations

Site-specific agriculture based on farmers Site-specific agriculture based on farmers

experiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombiaexperiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombia

Project Project componentscomponents::

• Characterization of any experiment that takes place Characterization of any experiment that takes place on farm “events”on farm “events”

• Data Analysis

• Creating groups of fruit producers

• TrainingTraining

Site-specific agriculture based on farmers Site-specific agriculture based on farmers

experiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombiaexperiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombia

Project Project componentscomponents::

• Characterization of any experiment that takes place Characterization of any experiment that takes place on farm “events”on farm “events”

• Data Data AnalysisAnalysis

• Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

• TrainingTraining

Characterization of any experiment that takes place on Characterization of any experiment that takes place on

farm “events” - farm “events” - global” datasets on environment

• Site geo-referenced using hand held GPS • Climate:

– WorldClim

– TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite )

• Topography

– SRTM

– Landscape

Climate – Topography - Landscape

Characterization of “events” - Characterization of “events” - global” datasets on environment

Climate

Characterization of “events” - Characterization of “events” - global” datasets on environment

- 3 0 . 1

3 0 . 5

M e a n a n n u a lt e m p e r a t u r e ( º C )

0

1 2 0 8 4

A n n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n ( m m )

Topography

Significant Improvement

GTOPO30

SRTM

LandscapeElevation Slope Aspect Landscape Class

MoistureSolar RadiationExposureCurvature

SoilsRASTA: Rapid Soil and Terrain Assessment

Soils: RASTA

Soils: RASTA:

Soils: RASTA:

• ManagementPrevious experiences (project BIOTEC-CIAT)

Diseases

Pests

• Recording forms (unities, type)

•Parametrized devices

•Real-time control

Nowadays (ICTs – smart phones, internet)

• Management

• Information transferred to databases

• Information system

Site-specific agriculture based on farmers Site-specific agriculture based on farmers

experiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombiaexperiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombia

Project Project componentscomponents::

• Characterization of any experiment that takes place Characterization of any experiment that takes place on farm “events”on farm “events”

• Data Data AnalysisAnalysis

• Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

• TrainingTraining

HOMOLOGUE

• Premise: crops will perform in a similar fashion in similar enviroments wherever they happen to be in space or time

• What crops or varieties are likely to perform well where

• If climate and soils have an influence on crops adaptation.Sites with similar soils and climate features will have a similar adaptability.

• The objective is to identify potential sites for establishing crops and spread technologies from one site to another

Citrus

Antioquia produces more citruswith half of the hectares cultivated in Tolima Opportunity

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Antioq

uia

Tolim

a

Cesar

Cundin

amar

ca

Mag

dalena

Bolíva

r

Risara

lda

Córdob

a

Norte

San

tand

er

Cauca

Atlánt

ico

Sucre

Boyac

á

La G

uajir

a

Vichada

Caque

tá

Amaz

onas

Caldas

Santa

nder

Has

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

To

ns

Area Producción

Department Area (Has)

Yield(Kg/ha)

Antioquia 1,163 30,035

Tolima 2,413 8,625

Cesar 1,884 11,023

Cundinamarca 1,440 9,939

Magdalena 483 18,772

Bolívar 353 7,453

Risaralda 156 10,213

Córdoba 262 18,836

MADR (average 2002- 2008)

Data AnalysisData Analysis (to provide site-specific recommendations)

•OLS: (Ordinary least squares)

•Robust regression: (Deal with outliers in data sets )

•Mixed models combined with BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased

Predictor: provides linear estimates of fixed effects

•Linear regressions

Kg/plot = Climate (b1) + Soils (b2) + Management (b3) + (B)

Kg/plot

Soil

Management

Extra

info

parameter

Math.

parameterMath.

parameterMath.

Climate

Da

tab

ase

Non-linear regressions - Artificial Neural Networks

   Data AnalysisData Analysis (to provide site-specific recommendations)

Analisis de relevancia:

Interpretation of the information collectedInterpretation of the information collected

Identification of the most relevant variables in the production of Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Colombia

(Jiménez, D., Cock, J., Satizábal, F., Barreto, M., Pérez-Uribe, A., Jarvis, A. and Van Damme, P., 2009. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 69 (2): 198–208

(a) Component plane of Andean blackberry yield, the scale bar (right) indi-cates the range value of productivity in kg/plant/week The upper side exhibits highvalues of yield, whereas the lower displays low values. (b) Kohonenmap displaying the resultant 6 clusters and their labels according to yield values.

Identification of the most relevant variables in the production of Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Colombia

Interpretation of the information collectedInterpretation of the information collected

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Components planes of the averages temperature: (a) temperature of the harvest month, (b) average temperature of the first month before harvest, (c) average temperature of the second month before harvest, and (d) average temperature of the third month before harvest. In all figures, the scale bar (right) indicates the range value in ◦C of temperature. The upper side exhibits high values, whereas the lower displays low values

Identification of the most relevant variables in the production of Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Colombia

Interpretation of the information collectedInterpretation of the information collected

Component planes of the specifics geographic areas Nariño–la union–chical alto (left) and Nariño–la union–cusillo bajo (right). The highest values indicate presence and the lowest absence as they are categorical variables

Identification of the most relevant variables in the production of Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Colombia

Interpretation of the information collectedInterpretation of the information collected

Site-specific agriculture based on farmers Site-specific agriculture based on farmers

experiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombiaexperiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombia

Project Project componentscomponents::

• Characterization of any experiment that takes place Characterization of any experiment that takes place on farm “events”on farm “events”

• Data Data AnalysisAnalysis

• Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

• TrainingTraining

Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

“Collective knowledge is far more valuable than individual knowledge ”

Example: AACREA (Argentine Association of Regional Consortiums for Agricultural Experimentation )

http://www.crea.org.ar/aacrea/site/PortalInstitucional-internet/index.html

AACREA : “to promote the technological and managerial development of its members, through participative methods, to attain the all-round improvement of producers, technicians, and the rural community as a whole”.

•Sharing knowledge

•Discussions based on collective knowledge

•Training

Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

• Get contact with fruit producers

•Training

•Establishing groups - workshops

•National tour of a “Rolling library” namely : Frutichiva to

socialize the project, promote consumption and facilitate

the information exchange

Site-specific agriculture based on farmers Site-specific agriculture based on farmers

experiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombiaexperiences (SSAFE) for fruits in Colombia

Project Project componentscomponents::

• Characterization of any experiment that takes place Characterization of any experiment that takes place on farm “events”on farm “events”

• Data Data AnalysisAnalysis

• Creating groups of fruit producersCreating groups of fruit producers

• TrainingTraining

Training

Training our partners in every component in order to improve the

system and make it sustainable

• Collecting information

• Characterization of any experiment on farm

• Methodologies to provide site-specific recommendations

• Data analysis procedures

• Information systems

Thank you!Thank you!