The Abidjan-based Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) has unveiled a free mobile phone app that can potentially help rice farmers adopt cost-efficient weed management depending on farm conditions and available resources. The interactive WeedManager app is being field-tested in Tanzania and Nigeria and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store on any Android device (smartphone or tablet). It is available in English and French while other language versions are planned. AfricaRice said sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from the tool as it can be used from rainfed uplands to irrigate lowland rice to significantly improve efficiency, productivity and incomes. AfricaRice has membership of 26 countries comprising Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo and Egypt. The others are: Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. WeedManager is useful to farmers, extension workers, private firms involved in rice agri-business and development agencies that need expert advice on weed management. Recommendations Surveys indicate that weeds are the predominant constraint on rice production in sub-Saharan Africa. The annual weed-inflicted yield losses are conservatively estimated at 2.2 million tonnes worth some $1.5 billion annually. It is estimated that improved weed control when combined with good soil fertility management can raise rice yields by one tonne per hectare. Improved weed management would prevent losses in rice yield and reduce production costs, which is why farmers need timely and reliable advice to make better decisions on the most appropriate weed control options. AfricaRice Agronomist Dr Kazuki Saito said the app provides a range of recommendations for weed management before, during and after the main rice-cropping season based on information entered by each farmer relating to field conditions. Available resources range from financial, human and natural resources to equipment and prevailing weed problems. Each farmer decides what recommendations to adopt, and can then be further advised and monitored by service providers. Agencies
