Agroforestry app to help increase access to crop information

A new agroforestry app has been developed to increase access to comprehensive information on crops, trees, nurseries and suitable agricultural practices.

Developed by the Nairobi-based World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) together with its India partners, the app will provide farmers, extensionists and decision-makers with timely information about site-specific agroforestry systems.

Unlike other apps, the app not only assists in identifying the right tree for the right place, but also provides full information on integrated agroforestry systems, availability of quality planting material, and locations of the nearest nurseries.

“The app will fill the void of lack of information and knowledge among farmers and extension workers and accelerate the implementation of the agroforestry schemes. The integration in the app of nurseries with available quality planting material is a great step forward,” observed Shri Vashishth, an Indian national, during the launch of the app recently.

Researchers say the mobile-based app will disseminate information related to trees and companion crops and the availability of quality planting materials along with packages of practices that can be followed.

“Upon entering the parameters — that is, state, district, season, topography, land use, irrigation, and intervention type — the app gives recommendations of suitable crops, trees and agronomic practices as well as nearby nurseries to access the tree seedlings,” noted Dr Rajkumar Singh, a geo-informatics research scientist at the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)-ICRAF.  Dr Singh said this allows farmers and extension workers to identify the right agroforestry species for farms, including sources of quality planting material, and receive appropriate suggestions for tree and crop combinations.

Agroforestry systems have been shown to build resilience and help smallholders adapt to climate change, mainly through improved water conservation and micro-climatic conditions and enhanced soil quality, nutrition and profitability.