Decision support tools Types and uses

Transcription

1 Decision support tools Types and uses ASHC team

2 Outline 1. Types of decisions made and decision making process 2. Need for Decision Support (DS) tools (knowledge gaps) 3. Existing (common) DS tools 4. Reasons for lack of use of DS tools 5. Characteristics of good DS tools 6. DS tools for SSA i) Some constraints identified in the region. ii) Suggested DS tools required -overview -DS tool for Rock Phosphate (PRDSS) - Use of nutrient concentration norms (simple tool-excel sheet) -Using a complex tool (QUEFTS) to derive simple paper tool 7. Way forward

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7 Decision making process

8 Decision making process (Farmer) Protein maize Pigeon pea Owned land Hybrid maize Pigeon pea Communal land Land preparation Soil inputs: Mazao Fertilizer FYM (?) Planting: Intra-row intercropping Pesticide use Weeding: Manual herbicide Harvesting Post-harvest practices Home consumption and sale

9 Decision making process (Hai Region) Prioritize use of resources Non-agricultural Crops Agricultural Livestock Owned land Cropping systems Communal Management practices ISFM-inorganic fertilizer -organic inputs -Rock phosphate -Deep tillage Management practices ISFM-inorganic fertilizer -organic fertilizer*

10 Picture- landscape with many farms

11 FArm-scale Resource Management SIMulator (FARMSIM) Giller et al., Crop Potential, H 2 O - & nutrient-limited yields Weed competition Household Objectives & decisions Investment, allocation & expenditure Labour availability LIVSIM Feed supply & demand Meat, milk, traction, manure Field Farmsim Soil Soil C dynamics Water, N, P & K availability HEAPSIM Manure collection, storage & quality Climate Market Common land Off-farm

12 Need for DS tools: Knowledge gaps Farmers All Extensionists, etc Researchers

13 Definitions

14 Examples of DS tools Complexity simple Tool Soil quality indicators** End-user All Slightly complex Moderately complex Complex Leaf colour charts Cropping calendars* Phosphate Rock DSS*** QUEFTS*** DSSAT*** All All Researchers Researchers Researchers

15 Reasons for lack of use Require use of computers: lack of a computer base among the population Complex to learn and use use of inputs which are unavailable or inconvenient or difficult to collect failure to show cost benefits (Parker and Campion, 1997) Sometimes ideal DS tools lacking

16 Characteristics of good decision support tools -Clear objectives -topic relevant to farmers -issues farmers are finding difficult to think through and solve -easy to use- simple, quick to use -simple-easy to learn -information needed to use the tool should be easy to get, not immense

17 Problems identified Summary of problems/opportunities identified in Rwanda, DR Congo, Tanzania and Kenya Nutrient deficiencies (e.g. N, P, K) Fertilizers are expensive, unavailable, quality?, price unrelated to nutrient content Poor yields and unreliable markets Erratic/inadequate rainfall Plant population and arrangement Pests, diseases, striga.

18 Possible tools Decision Types/ amounts of fertilizers Choice of crops Timing of activities To inoculate or not Plant population & arrangement Tool/ Description of tool Identify the best fertilizer options Comparison of different cropping systems Cropping calendar Comparison inoculated vs non-inoculated Identify best plant population and arrangement

19 Examples of indicator plants Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon) Striga hermonthica Bracken fern (Pteridophyte spp.)

20 Phosphate Rock DSS: source- Singh 2005 Relative Agronomic Effectiveness (Maize) Cost ratio of TSP/MPR Minimum inputs: RP-source, soil ph, Crop,...

21 Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis (CND) norms Insert figure nutrient conventration vs yield

22 Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis (CND) norms Want to show excel sheet (tool for lab ) sample Foliar nutrient concentrations (%) filling value geom row-centered log ratios indices N P K Ca Mg R d G V N V P V K V Ca V Mg V Rd I N I P I K I Ca I Mg I Rd (will improve on this!!)

23 From QUEFTS to paper tools Parameters Possible sources of info/data Indigenous soil supply NPK Potential yields NUE Recovery fractions Economic benefits On-going nutrient omission trials Publications, databases Trials, farmers, databases, publications Trials, databases, publications Trials, databases, publications Input/output markets, farmers QUEFTS-Janssen et al., 1990)

24 Qs: 1. Can tools developed in one region be used in another region? 2. what tools are possible? 3. Are there tools in shelves?

25 Last slide and sign off To be done! Will look for pic of happy farmers ASHC is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation