SMS alerts boost sugarcane output

Small-scale sugarcane farmers in South Africa are using cellphone-based technology to decide when to irrigate their crops. A pilot scheme launched by the South African Sugar Association at Pongola in Mpumalanga Province and Makhathini in KwaZulu Natal has shown the high-tech system can help boost production and save water, a precious commodity in these dry regions. Indications are that the mobile-based initiative can reduce farmers' irrigation costs by €200/ha.

The system, called My Canesim, uses automatic weather stations, the Internet and cellular technology to produce up-to-date information about when to irrigate crops. Extrapolating information from field and real-time weather data, My Canesim estimates the recent, current and future water balance, as well as the crop status and projected yield of a given plot. It then automatically generates and distributes simple irrigation advice by SMS to farmers' mobile phones.

According to Dr Abraham Singles, principal agronomist at the South African Sugar Research Institute, farmers who have taken part in the project have seen savings of up to 33% in irrigation water, a 64% reduction in deep drainage of water from the root zone and a 48% increase in efficiency of irrigation water. Themba Mthembu, one of 407 farmers using My Canesim in Pongola, said he and fellow sugarcane producers receive text messages every Wednesday, advising them whether they should irrigate that week, based on accurate weather information from the area.

"SMSs are sent to us whenever an action is required. The content comprises a suggestion to start, stop or continue irrigation for our fields, with an estimate of current and final cane yield," said Mthembu, who farms a 15 ha plot. "We receive these SMSs in our mother language, making it is easy for us to use. We also receive weekly summaries on our cellphones. These advisories contain information such as current and future cane yield, sucrose content and soil water deficit, which can be downloaded from the website onto your phone."

Designers of the system used a participatory approach, enlisting farmers, extension staff and mill cane supply management officials who tested the web interface, advice and reports, to make sure they were relevant and easy to use. Farmer Thandi Simelani said the scheme had helped improve output by showing her that over-irrigating her sugarcane could be almost as damaging as under-watering it. "If this system is introduced to all sugarcane farmers in the country's 14 sugarcane growing areas, then our production levels will increase and we will also save a lot of water," she said.

South Africa's sugarcane growing areas cover 412,000 ha, most of it farmed by small-scale black producers, who lack access to modern equipment and technology. The farmers also receive regular text messages on the latest crop prices and market reports, which enable them to negotiate the best price for their produce.

Fidelis Zvomuya