Nutrient Manager for Rice

This tool includes both web-based and mobile applications that provide personalized fertilizer guidelines for small-scale rice farmers or extension workers. Users of NMR provide information about their specific rice field by responding to brief questions about their planting method, the size of their field, its location, the duration of the growing season, and typical yields among other factors. Based on these inputs, the program recommends how much fertilizer (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)) should be added at critical growth stages of the plant in order to increase profit. The mobile version uses an interactive voice response (IVR) system to guide the user through this survey with a recorded questionnaire, whereas the smart phone app and web-based versions include both text and pictures where appropriate. For example, each question about the rice planting method provides the user with a photo of each method in case they are unfamiliar with the terms. The NMR is already available in the Philippines in five local dialects, and the web version has been released in Indonesia. The mobile app will be ready in Indonesia by April 2012 in four local dialects. The tool is supported by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) together with local partners, primarily ministries of agriculture and mobile phone companies, but also fertilizer and other input firms, in implementing countries. The use of the NMR is free for the end-user, although standard phone and internet rates can sometimes apply for access. The primary markets for the NMR are currently localized versions in the Philippines and Indonesia, with IRRI developing versions for Bangladesh, Vietnam, and West Africa. The target users of the NMR are primarily small-scale rice farmers, farm extension workers, and crop advisors. IRRI is developing business plans to engage mobile phone companies and micro-finance institutions that include providing a range of crop management inputs and services. The impact of the NMR is still being evaluated, but IRRI believes that using the application will enable farmers to increase their incomes through increased yields.