GEOPOTATO is a subscription-based geodata-driven decision support service to provide early alert for spraying preventive fungicide via SMS & Voicemail 3 days prior late blight infection to potato farmers. GEOPOTATO is a research-based precision agriculture solution that has been implemented in collaboration with a multinational consortium to address the problem of annual 25-57% yield loss of potato caused by late blight disease. Managing harvest loss is crucial for 750,000 small farmers in Bangladesh who are the primary beneficiaries of the GEOPOTATO solution. With timely intervention and controlled use of fungicides, GEOPOTATO safeguards potential losses in potato yield while helping to reducing impact on the environment from pollution and degradation that results from excessive pesticide use. Besides, use of preventive fungicide reduces production cost while ensures yield increase by safeguarding the plant from late blight infestation. The GEOPOTATO Decision Support System (DSS) automatically computes real time weather data through Automated Weather Stations (AWS) and Satellite Image of Crop Growth. If the conditions are conducive to late blight, SMS will be automatically dispatched to farmers with preventive advice. GEOPOTATO service adhering farmers have averted yield loss and have seen their yield increase by 8.4%- 25% and their profits increase by 10.4%.

http://geopotato.com/

• Bangladesh

• The poor
• Remote and rural communities
• Entire Potato Value Chain but Primarily Farmers

Potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, and global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tons. GeoPotato is an advisory service for the potato growing farmers. Therefore, this service can be set up in any country where farmers grow potatoes, and late blight is a significant issue in almost all potato-growing countries In fact, such DSS are already in use in developed countries such as the Netherlands where 80% of potato farmers are subscribed to a similar service.

For replication beyond Bangladesh, the DSS algorithm simply needs to be redesigned to suit the realities of the specific region so that the appropriate messages can be sent out to farmers. The GEOPOTATO Decision support systems (DSS) is a computational systems that use data and models interactively to aid in the formulation, analysis, and selection of management strategies. The design, architecture, and implementation of this DSS uses sophisticated simulations, link with optimization algorithms, and other intelligent systems components to enhance decision making accuracy. This DSS is well suited for application to late blight because of its dynamic nature to cope with the inherent complexity and uncertainty. Furthermore, the farmer friendly registration system designed in such a way that even the most marginal farmer who have basic feature phone can have the access to most advanced and accurate early warning of late blight control at their will.

Regarding expansion to other countries among South Asia, GeoPotato has recently been awarded the prestigious Tech4Farmers Asia Challenge award by USAID. USAID through their projects are also supporting expansion of GeoPotato services in other countries. Besides, UN World Summit Award has been bestowed to Geopotato along with 39 other solutions from 400+ solutions from around the globe asserts Geopotato’s ability to impact lives and livelihood of farmers.

The GeoPotato service has been designed to operate on a paid subscription model. The subscription model is based on two-pronged approach of B2C model targeted directly towards farmers and B2B model targeted towards input suppliers and potato processing companies, who need safe harvest of potatoes from contract farmers.

Under the B2C approach, we are not collecting the subscription fee from the farmers with a focus on greater sensitization and adoption of the service by the farmers. Surveying the potato farmers we are confident to say that farmers are quite okay to spend money on alert service (~2 Euro maximum in a season) to secure their crop from late blight disease. Potato is a cash crop for the farmers so they are willing to pay subscription fee to secure their economic future. Other than that, AWS generated real time weather data can be sold to different companies/ projects.

Under the B2B model, GeoPotato is working with large input suppliers and potato processing companies in Bangladesh. We have already established working relations with two of the largest input companies named Bayer Crop Science, Auto Crop Care and ACI Limited. And with two potato processing companies namely Kellogs and PRAN Agro. These companies will provide the subscription fee for the services on behalf of the farmers. Bayer or Auto Crop or ACI would be willing to pay for such a provision because it gives them competitive edge by extending marketing arm through ICT. In fact Bayer Crop Science branded messages are disbursed to farmers in two sub district and subsequent study is underway to assess the impact of branded message for this season. We are also working with ACI to provide the alert through their Fasholi App (ACI's Agro Informtion providing App) to lead farmers. One of the largest fungicide retailers of the country, Auto Crop Care has also established demo plots to understand if Geopotato can be a better alternative over their static fungicide spray schedule.

AL C3 Access to Information and Knowledge Access to Information and Knowledge about timely and accurate spraying advice is a major constraint for subsistence farmers who comprise the bulk of the potato farmers in Bangladesh. GEOPOTATO empowers farmers because they are provided the information and knowledge regarding timely fungicide application and don’t have to rely on fungicide retailers/ traders and government/private agricultural extension agents who advise farmers based on rule of thumb and arbitrary scheduling. Furthermore, due to the high precision of our solution, we provide spray advice only when compulsory, greatly reducing the frequency of unnecessary pesticide application. AL C7 ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life: e-Agriculture With the advent of use of ICT in various fields of society, it has been proven to become a powerful tool for improved agricultural practice and provide optimum control strategy for a wide range of disease and pests that compromise agricultural productivity. e-Agriculture solutions such as GEOPOTATO discards possibility of excessive use of fungicide that can irreversibly damage ecosystem.