IRRI and BSIP Conduct Training of Trainers on LKP 2.0 and Farm Mapping Using GPS

Indonesia and IRRI expand the dissemination of Rice Crop Manager across the country with a training of facilitators and extension workers on the advanced features of the digital tool.

(BOGOR, Indonesia, 16-18 July 2024) - IRRI and its key partner organization in the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) Indonesia project, BSIP (Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Instrument Standardization), continue to strengthen the capacity of its local partners on Layanan Konsultasi Padi (LKP) 2.0 and its new features. A Training of Trainers (ToT) was conducted to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills in using the updated version of LKP 2.0, including its offline mode and new georeferencing feature for farm mapping. The latter was designed to improve the accuracy of the LKP recommendations.

This three-day training, held from 16-18 July 2024 in Bogor, West Java, brought together 29 participants from government offices, the private sector, and NGOs, with an additional 51 participants from BSIP provincial offices across Indonesia joining virtually. The participants were agricultural extension workers, field agents, and other relevant stakeholders who will play critical roles in LKP dissemination.

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A farmer receives an LKP recommendation for his field.

LKP, the Indonesian version of RCM, is a digital tool that provides field-specific nutrient & crop management recommendations adapted from Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) principles. LKP utilizes information about the farmer's previous yields, field conditions, and current management practices and includes it in the equation for calculating field-specific crop management recommendations. LKP aims to optimize farmer's nutrient and water management to improve yields and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through SSNM and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) practices.

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The Director General of BSIP officially opens the training.

The event was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Ir. Fadjry Djufry, M.Si., the Director General of BSIP. "We are delighted to welcome all participants to this training. We extend our heartfelt thanks to IRRI and the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) for their continuous support of the RCM Indonesia project. LKP Indonesia represents the perfect combination of research and development, implementation, and scale-up. We encourage everyone to use LKP to enhance both the production and quality of our rice farming. We greatly appreciate the IRRI and BSIP project implementation teams for their efforts in improving rice productivity in Indonesia. LKP is highly beneficial, and we hope this collaboration continues, with BSIP's unwavering support."

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Hands-on exercise of measuring fields with the farmer who owns the field.

Attendees engaged in both classroom-based lectures using a wide range of materials such as presentation slides, videos, and demos, and also hands-on exercises where they measured fields using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and interviewed farmers to generate more accurate LKP recommendations. By incorporating GPS-based field measurements, the accuracy of crop management recommendations is significantly enhanced, as farmers may sometimes have difficulty estimating their field area. As an example, one farmer declared his estimated field area of around 0.5 hectares during the interview, but GPS measurement yielded 0.7 hectares. This advancement provides more precise fertilizer management recommendations to Indonesian rice farmers, ultimately boosting their productivity and incomes.

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A participant measures the field size using a handheld GPS device.

One of the participants, Lingga Agnesia Mega Fatwa from the Indonesian Center for Agricultural Instrument Standard Implementation, shared her testimonials of the ToT, saying "It was a pleasure to take part in this training. This training is very enjoyable, especially since we get to experience the hands-on activity."

As newly trained facilitators on LKP 2.0, they were eager to transfer the knowledge gained in this ToT both within their institutions and with the farmers in their communities. During the re-entry plan discussion, they demonstrated their commitment to becoming new trainers by outlining estimated resources, time, and support needed. Together, IRRI and BSIP are committed to advancing agricultural innovation and providing better support tools for farmers across Indonesia.

The RCM Indonesia project is being implemented by IRRI in collaboration with Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture - BSIP and other private entities, with funding support from the Republic of Korea's MAFRA.

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