Dr. Chandrashekhar Biradar presented on using digital augmentation and big data to accelerate eco-friendly agriculture in Egypt. Exponential growth in digital data from satellites, sensors and mobiles now enables site-specific farming decisions through analytics and apps. Digital tools and citizen science can close the digital divide if properly implemented. The focus should be on inclusive agroecosystems for food and nutrition security while protecting the environment. Restoring agroecology and rural welfare should be prioritized for sustainable development, health and the planet.

1. GeoAgro
Digital Augmentation for
Accelerating EcoAgriculture
Dr. Chandrashekhar Biradar
Research Theme Leader- GeoAgro and Digital Augmentation
Principal Scientist (Agroecosystems) and Head of Geoinformatics & RDM
Advances in GeoAgro driven digitalization for site-specific timely
advisory for transforming agro-ecosystems
cgiar.org
A CGIAR Research Center
icarda.org
Organized by
Fostering Digitalization for a future-
proof food system in Egypt
26 January 2021, Cairo, Egypt

2. You are here
88 zettabytes
unstructured data
2010 2020 2025
structured data
Data Growing Exponentially
>> it demands new innovations and strategic
approaches to untap its huge potential
Over 20
Million
Farmers
The Egypt has over 20 million
of Farmers with uniquely
fragmented land holdings of
an average 1-2.5 feddans
~ 55% access to
smartphones

3. Geo BigData and Digital Ag Scaling

4. Digital
Augmentation
Agriculture
Research
Ecological
Framework
Future Food Systems and Planetary Health
OM
Excellence in GeoAgro for Inclusive Agroecosystems
Sustainability
Self-sufficiency
Resilience
Citizen-science
Demand-driven
Affordable

5. AI
ML Meta-Analytics
Big
Data
@ Crops, animals, soils, weather, agronomy, trade…
Inclusive
Agroecosystems
Demand driven
Sustainable options
Systems Integration and Interoperability for Resilience

6. Geotagging
Agrotagging
Expert and Existing
Knowledge base
RS/ML algorithms
sFarm typologies
geoWeb
Analytics
Site-specific
in-season
indicators
Demand driven
decisions
Dissemination
Resilient Agroecosystems
Evidence based
Farming systems
dynamics
Diversification of
Wheat systems
Anticipated
Advices and
Result based
management
Technology Scaling
and Accessibility
Digital Extension
Quantify
yield/RUE
potential and
bridge gaps
Extension
Advisors
Farmers
Unions
Scientists
Agents
Supply
chains
Digital Augmentation for Revitalizing Agroecosystems
leveraging technology & local intelligence
“Site specific decisions for
economically viable and
ecologically sustainable
agroecosystems”

7. Economically Viable
Ecologically Sustainable
Crop Selection
Crop/Var Suitability
Realtime bidirectional tagging
Multi-criterial analysis
Demand driven crop/var
Farming Practices
Geo Precision
Agriculture
Optimal use of inputs
Consolidated prices
Higher productivity
Post Harvesting
Market linkages
Price parity & trend
Market linkages
Value chain tagging
Quantifying in-season demand to real-time delivery
System Transformation– Site Specific and Resilience
Biradar, et al, 2020

8. icarda.org
Land use change and systems level yield gaps
2000 to 2020
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Data driven local intelligence for food-systems transformation
e.g. Targeting Mechanized Raised Technology with Proven Agronomic packages
Biradar, et al, 2020

9. icarda.org
Land use change and systems level yield gaps
2000 to 2020
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Data driven local intelligence for food-systems transformation
e.g. Targeting Mechanized Raised Technology with Proven Agronomic packages
Realtime Yield Gaps at Farm Level
Biradar, et al, 2020

10. icarda.org
Land use change and systems level yield gaps
2000 to 2020
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Data driven local intelligence for food-systems transformation
e.g. Targeting Mechanized Raised Technology with Proven Agronomic packages
Realtime Yield Gaps at Farm Level
Potential
Actual
Attainable
Yield Gap=14%
Yield Gap=28%
Income gap?
Health gap?
Ecology gap?
Biradar, et al, 2020

11. Thousands of research and outreach data points
in each season across the agro-ecosystems
Open source near-real time earth observation
data at field, farm to landscape scales
Enormous power of cloud computing, open access,
algorithms, analytics to process data on time
Smartphone enabled apps and cloud web-GIS for decision
making at point, farm and administrative units
Era of Digitalization
4

12. Digitalization for effective decisions and dissemination

13. GeoAgro Pro

16. Water, Carbon, Eco Credit Incentives
Demand driven and site-specific decisions

17. Production follows functions
Let’s leverage technology, diversity and local
intelligence to rebuild broken food systems for
healthy living and planetary health
Thank You
c.biradar@cgiar.org
Dr. Chandrashekhar BIRADAR
Research Team Leader, GeoAgro & Digital Augmentation
Principal Scientist (Agroecosystems) and Head of
Geoinformatics Unit and Focal Point, BigData Platform
Suggested Citation of this presentation or slides: Biradar, C. 2021d
Biradar, C. 2021d. GeoAgro driven Digital Augmentation for accelerating Eco-
Agriculture. In USAID IFRI Webinar series on Fostering Digitalization for a future-
proof food system in Egypt, 26 January 2021, Cairo, Egypt

18. • Exponential growth in digital data (satellite,
sensors, mobile), analytics and apps for site-
specific decision made possible
• Digital augmentation and ICTs enabled citizen
science are matured enough to close the digital
divide with proper enabling environment
• Need to work in the framework of inclusive
agroecosystems for better food and nutritional
security with safeguarding ecosystems services
• Let's ‘restoring the agroecology focused rural
welfare’ be the priority for sustainable
development, wellness and planetary health
Way forward and collective actions

19. • Exponential growth in digital data (satellite,
sensors, mobile), analytics and apps for site-specific
decision made possible
• Digital augmentation and ICTs enabled citizen
science are matured enough to close the digital
divide with proper enabling environment
• Need to work in the framework of inclusive
agroecosystems for better food and nutritional
security with safeguarding ecosystems services
• Let's ‘restoring the agroecology focused rural
welfare’ be the priority for sustainable
development, wellness and planetary health
Way forward and collective actions