RiceAdvise Lite and WeedManager Training of Trainers: An approach to SMART Agriculture

The adoption of SMART Agriculture is one of the keyways to achieving the sustainability goals set forth by the United Nations to make the world a better place for the next generation. It is based on this set aim that AfricaRice, a rice research-based organization developed two digital agricultural applications known as RiceAdvise Lite and WeedManager.                           

Training session between participants and facilitator from AfricaRice

RiceAdvise Lite and WeedManager are digital applications developed to support and advise rice farmers on how to undertake management practices on their rice farms, geared towards obtaining high and quality paddy yields through an easy to answer multiple question approach. Whereas the Riceadvise lite application focuses on advising farmers on the most effective way of fertilizer and other rice farm management practices, the weed manager application focuses on advising farmers on the most effective and cost-efficient ways of managing weeds on rice farms based on the current farming conditions and resources available.

It is against this backdrop that, the Market Oriented Value Chains for Jobs and Growth in the ECOWAS Region (GIZ MOVE) project implemented by the Deutsche Geselleschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in collaboration with AfricaRice organized a training of trainer's session to introduce the solution to matching grand fund partner staff with the objective to validate the application through a trail validation management system. This event was made possible with economic support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Union (EU) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The tools provide site specific recommendation, hence the need to validate the application for accuracy and precision. This training took place at the conference room of the GIZ MOVE building at East Legon from the 16th to 18th of April 2024. Participants of this training are expected to set and manage trail fields and collect data on these fields for further validation by AfricaRice before dissemination to smallholder rice producers.

This initiative by GIZ MOVE and AfricaRice can be adopted, facilitated, supported, and expedited by both governmental and non-governmental organizations to enhance sustainable rice production in Ghana. Furthermore, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture can anchor this initiative by training its extension agents to conduct step training for rice smallholder farmers. Individuals or agri-entrepreneurs can undertake this training to provide services to farmers at a cost. It is necessary to support SMART agriculture.