Page 19 - Vol.39-No.5

FERTILIZERS

has co-created more than 300 pollinator They also noted how intensive monoculture FAO is committed to promoting policies
projects with partners on all continents. production often leads to the elimination that support biological plant pest control
Pollinators have made their way into many of natural areas rich in flowering plants, and limit pesticide use, through the Global
more school curricula, political debates, which are replaced by a single large crop, Action on Pollination Services for Sustain-
research agendas, business plans and ag- making significant damage to biodiversity able Agriculture, aiming to build greater
ricultural practices,” she added. and ecosystems. habitat diversity in agricultural and urban
environments. Through new technologies
Participants at today’s event included the FAO’s commitment to protecting bees
Permanent Representative of the Republic and pollinators such as TECA – an online platform that
of Uganda to FAO, Elizabeth Paula Nape- On 18 May, FAO hosted and co-organ- gathers successful agricultural technolo-
yok, and the Permanent Representative ized together with the World Organization gies and practices – , FAO is working to
of the People's Republic of China to FAO, for Animal Health (WOAH), Apimondia, and foster knowledge exchange and sustainable
GUANG Defu. the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale rural transformation, contributing to the
achievement of the Sustainable Devel-
In a panel discussion, bee and pollinator del Lazio e della Toscana the second In- opment Goals (SDGs). Launched by FAO
experts from around the world highlighted ternational Symposium on Biosecurity in in 2002 and managed by FAO's Research
how unsustainable agriculture and pesticide Beekeeping, bringing participants up to and Extension Unit, the TECA platform
abuse contribute to bees' and other polli- date on the latest developments in bee addresses the need for a systematic and
nators' reduced access to food and nesting biosecurity and the initiatives that the user-friendly online repository of tech-
sites, exposing them to harmful chemi- international organizations involved are nologies, practices, and innovations on
cals that weaken their immune systems, applying in different areas of the world to family farming.
sometimes going so far as to kill them. ensure bee health.
Circle 20 on enquiry card
BASF, KUBOTA AND ZEN-NOH COLLABORATE TO HELP

IMPROVE AND OPTIMIZE JAPAN’S RICE PRODUCTION

The collaboration consists of two phases, impacts and meeting MeaDRI strategy tar-
beginning with the integration of BASF’s gets. Climate smart farming technology
advanced xarvio® FIELD MANAGER crop provides a proven, effective and available
optimization platform with Kubota’s state- solution to help them achieve these goals.
of-the art KSAS operating platform to as- By working closely with Kubota and our
sess operability. valued partner in ZEN-NOH to connect
The main aim of platform integration is offerings, we can together deliver even
to deliver greater convenience, increase greater value to farmers and positively
yield, optimize fertilizer use, and provide transform rice production in Japan.”
a higher return on investment for farm- In April 2021, BASF and ZEN-NOH
ers. This outcome would tackle many of launched xarvio FIELD MANAGER in Japan.
the challenges affecting rice production in MANAGER, Kubota’s KSAS platform and its Its success, particularly its strong adop-
Japan, including an ageing workforce, labor machinery. Here farmers will use the KSAS tion rate among farmers, is based on its
shortages, and the consolidation of farm- platform and Kubota rice transplanters ability to deliver consistent, field-specif-
land. It would also help farmers become to implement field-specific, xarvio FIELD ic, measurable agronomic benefits. The
more sustainable, globally competitive and MANAGER variable application maps for digital product uses proven plant models
meet established fertilizer reduction tar- fertilization. and agronomic algorithms in combination
gets listed in the country’s MeaDRI strategy with multiple data inputs, including his-
for sustainable food systems. The results of these new field trials will torical agronomic information, in-season
complement those achieved in more than
Phase two of the collaboration will test 100 field trials conducted in rice crops last risks, weather data and satellite-based
the performance of platform integration year by ZEN-NOH and BASF. In last year’s biomass images to provide farmers with
through field trials in rice crops, which will field trials, xarvio FIELD MANAGER’s vari- clear and prompt, field-specific agronomic
be managed by ZEN-NOH. able application maps for fertilization were recommendations to apply crop fertilization
used and compared to standard fertilization and crop protection.
application practices. By using xarvio FIELD By connecting xarvio FIELD MANAG-
MANAGER’s variable application maps, yield ER with Kubota’s powerful KSAS farming
increases of between 15% to 20% were and service support system, the seamless
achieved, with an average fertilizer input transfer and use of xarvio FIELD MANAG-
reduction of 10% recorded. In some cases, ER’s variable application maps for fertiliza-
depending on field conditions, fertilizer use tion by KSAS compatible rice transplanters
was reduced by up to 50%. is realized, without the need for an added
device for data transfer.
Konstantin Kretschun, Global Head of
BASF Digital Farming, comments: “Rice It is anticipated that full integration be-
The field trials will be held during the farmers in Japan recognize the need to tween xarvio FIELD MANAGER and Kubota’s
2023 growing season and involve farm- become more sustainable and globally KSAS platform will be commercially avail-
ers experienced with using xarvio FIELD competitive, while reducing environment able in Japan from spring 2024.

Circle 21 on enquiry card Vol. 39 No. 5 17