Empowering Farming Community with a Decision Support System for Crop Nutrient Management

corn field under clear sky

CWRDM (Centre for Water Resources Development and Management) collaborated with Calpar to develop a web application named CWRDM-ICNMS (Integrated Crop Nutrient Management Software). The project involved the development of a robust web application using Microsoft .NET and MS SQL on the backend, and Angular and HTML5 on the frontend. CWRDM-ICNMS is a comprehensive tool that generates nutrient recommendations for crops in Kerala, considering various inputs and outputs from the farm. In this case study, we delve into the details of this transformative project and highlight the key features that empower the farming community with effective crop nutrient management.

Decision Support System for Nutrient Management:

 Calpar recognized the need for a powerful and user-friendly web application to support the nutrient management requirements of the farming community. CWRDM-ICNMS serves as a decision support system, providing farmers with nutrient recommendations for various crops in Kerala. By considering inputs such as chemical fertilizers, organic manures, atmospheric deposition, and nitrogen fixation, as well as outputs including crop produce, residues, leaching, volatilization, and erosion, the system calculates the nutrient balance and generates cost-effective and eco-friendly recommendations for nutrient management.

Technology Stack: 

The web application was developed using Microsoft .NET and MS SQL on the backend, ensuring a reliable and scalable infrastructure to handle complex calculations and data management. On the frontend, Angular and HTML5 were utilized to create a modern and intuitive user interface. The technology stack provides a seamless user experience and efficient data processing capabilities.

Nutrient Balance Calculation: 

CWRDM-ICNMS performs nutrient balance calculations by considering all the inflows and outflows from the farm. The system takes into account various factors such as chemical fertilizers, organic manures, atmospheric deposition, nitrogen fixation, crop produce, residues, leaching, volatilization, and erosion. By analyzing these factors, the system generates nutrient balance reports, providing valuable insights for optimal nutrient management.

Nutrient Recommendation: 

The web application offers nutrient recommendations that cover both organic and inorganic sources. Based on the nutrient balance calculations, CWRDM-ICNMS provides farmers with practical and cost-effective recommendations for nutrient management. These recommendations aim to enhance nutrient use efficiency, improve crop productivity, and increase profitability, all while ensuring the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources.

Eco-friendly Conservation and Management:

 CWRDM-ICNMS promotes eco-friendly conservation and management practices by optimizing nutrient use efficiency. By providing farmers with accurate recommendations, the system minimizes the risk of over-fertilization, reducing the environmental impact associated with nutrient leaching, volatilization, and erosion. The web application empowers farmers to adopt sustainable practices that preserve natural resources and contribute to a greener and more sustainable agricultural sector.

Result and Success: 

The collaboration between Calpar and CWRDM resulted in the development of CWRDM-ICNMS, a robust web application that revolutionizes crop nutrient management for the farming community. The decision support system provides accurate nutrient balance calculations and practical nutrient recommendations, enabling farmers to optimize their farming practices. The implementation of Microsoft .NET, MS SQL, Angular, and HTML5 ensures a reliable, user-friendly, and scalable platform for efficient data processing and seamless user experience.

Conclusion:

 Through the collaborative efforts of Calpar and CWRDM, the web application CWRDM-ICNMS was developed, empowering the farming community with effective crop nutrient management. The decision support system calculates nutrient balance, generates nutrient recommendations, and promotes eco-friendly conservation and management practices. By leveraging the power of Microsoft .NET, MS SQL, Angular, and HTML5, the web application provides farmers with valuable insights, enabling them to achieve higher nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and profitability while safeguarding natural resources.