Key aspects

for designing successful digital tools

RELASER series on extension and e-commerce. Caribbean Forum. April 28th, 2021.

Víctor Falguera
Ph.D. Food Science & Technology
Ph.D. Engineering & Advanced Technologies
www.victorfalguera.cat victor@victorfalguera.cat
 What does successful mean?

• Which is the purpose of the tool?

• Downloads and users do not mean that the goal is fulfilled.

• Making the users use the system does not mean that the goal is fulfilled…
…but it’s an essential step (up to a certain point).

• So… the ultimate goal is not to have a lot of farmers using the system!

• A digital tool is as successful as it contributes to fulfill its ultimate purpose.

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 The purpose.

• What are we really providing?

• Most farmers rarely search for technical advice… so how can we reach them?

• Which is the first thing a farmer answers when we ask him about what he needs?

• …but cost-saving-oriented tools are not the top-ranked ones.

• Regardless the technical scope, time and confidence must be in our value proposition.

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 Main driving forces of the design process.

Market pull

Technology push

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 Building blocks: be prepared for the next step.
(even if you’re not the one developing it)

Data
gathering

Results Validation &

assessment Analysis
Communication
&
Collaboration

Actuation Decision

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 Data gathering.

• Acquisition and validation are frequently the most difficult steps.

• The best technology may not be available…

• …or the farmer is not willing to use it.

• Accuracy is not always the top priority.

• Collaborative data feeding can be the solution, but it needs the right cost/benefit ratio.

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 “Specific” SIDS / Caribbean challenges.

• How to manage distance, disaggregation and lack of connectivity?

• Information exchange and collaborative data gathering (including pics).

• Take advantage of the tools that farmers already use (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram).

• Smartphone-based (pref. multiplatform), offline capability (not only web-based!).

• Digital tools + multi-level training and extension structures.

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 From market pull to open innovation.
Solved
Market
RDi Production Marketing market
analysis
need

Farmers Farmers

RDi staff

Technology companies

Economic
actors

Public Academic
administration actors (RDi)

5H

Citizens Territory

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 : Customized irrigation and fertilization advice.

Land and plot select

Weather forecast

Productive state of the crop

Weekly irrigation recommendation

Water consumption (if there is a meter)

+…
Soil water content display
Global fertilization plan
Specific advice (extensionist)
Irrigation sector nutrients summary
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 : Customized irrigation and fertilization advice.

One system, four user profiles:

Farmer Supervisor Advisor System Admin

Can only view the data Can see the data of the Can create users, plots Advisor functions +
of his own farm, and assigned farmers. and sectors, and edit general operation and
edit the productive and send irrigation and system databases
status of each sector. fertilization management.
recommendations to
assigned farmers.
www.victorfalguera.cat
 : Customized irrigation and fertilization advice.

Technical strengths: Deep strengths:

• Accurate Eto and ETc forecast. • Provides time and confidence.
• Multi-platform, easy interface. • Speaks farmers’ language: dose converted into time.
• Ready for integration with controller. • A farmer can use it even without logging in.
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 : democratizing remote sensing and data integration.

ü Integration of data from any source (field sensors or servers).

ü Fully automated processing. Plot-based analysis, benchmarking tools.
ü Brand customization (companies, cooperatives, governments).
ü API to send all data, maps and calculations to other platforms.
ü Offline-working app + web-based environment.
ü Easy to use and affordable: weekly new maps from USD2.8/ha/year.
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www.victorfalguera.cat
 Pilot: The first application of 5G to a rural area in Spain. September 2019.

AKIS International experimental plot. Albatàrrec (Lleida, Spain).

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 Camera

Viewer
Video

Maps
Office
Data
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 ü Pruning is a labor-intensive operation.
ü Labor force is difficult for the farmer to train and supervise.
ü Validation of the specific need: management, control and training of personnel.
ü Baseline technology ready to develop specific solutions.
ü Great opportunity for territorial rebalancing.
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 Digital tools and methodologies to drive policy making.
Collaborative Collaborative Collaborative
tools strategies policies
Data
gathering

Results Validation &

assessment Analysis
Communication
&
Collaboration

Actuation Decision

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 The summary.
• Be open. Others are designing fantastic tools that can benefit from your solution.
• Enhance collaboration among users. Collaborate with others.
• Make your solution so available that it’s not worth copying it.
• Analyze farmers’ decision process, not only their needs.
• Think about when the farmer will use the tool… and when he is not going to do so.
• Think about how the farmer will apply the tool’s output.
• Customization is key. One-size-fits-all does not work anymore.
• High impact often comes from low-tech solutions.
• Social innovation can be even more powerful than technological innovation.
• Engage farmers into every step of the process. Don’t be afraid to go back and forth.
• Usability is very important. User’s time and confidence are essential.
• Digital tools are only the way to fulfill a purpose. Don’t lose your focus.

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 Feel free to ask!

RELASER series on extension and e-commerce. Caribbean Forum. April 28th, 2021.

LinkedIn.com/in/vfalguera

@victorfalguera

victor@victorfalguera.cat www.victorfalguera.cat