This OpenTeams In-Depth features Dr. Katherine (Katie) Nelson - Climate change scientist, International Rice Research Institute (Bio) on "Co-creation of vertically integrated digital tools in the rice value chain in Vietnam.” The Agroecological TRANSITIONS: Socially Inclusive Digital Tools (ATDT) project is funded by the EU and managed by IFAD and implemented by the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT. Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZBsF9xppOE Learn more about ATDT and find project outputs here: https://bit.ly/AgLEDxATDT https://agledx.ccafs.cgiar.org/about/atdt/

1. Co-creation with vertically
integrated digital tools in
the rice value chain in
Vietnam
Katie Nelson
International Rice Research Institute
October 5, 2023

2. Vietnam context
Rice planted area
• Vietnam: 7.57 million hectares
• Mekong Delta: 4.11 million hectares
VIETNAM IS 3RD
LARGEST
EXPORTER OF
RICE GLOBALLY
MORE THAN 13
MILLION RICE
FARMERS IN
MEKONG DELTA
RICE
PRODUCTION IS
3% OF VIETNAM’S
GDP AND EMITS
15% OF TOTAL
GHG EMISSIONS
RICE FARMERS IN
VIETNAM APPLY
20%-30% MORE
FERTILIZER THAN
RECOMMENDED
ON AVERAGE,
FARMERS USE OF
PESTICIDES IS
EXCESSIVE AND
INACCURATE1
Source: Guan et al., 2016
Vietnam government is committed to a sustainable transition in rice:
• 1 million hectare program for sustainable, low-emission rice (carbon credits)
• NDC commitments
Agricultural Transitions Digital Tools Project
aims to reach 20,000 rice farmers in the
Mekong Delta with inclusive digital tools

3. Digital Agriculture Profile - Vietnam
Despite multiple farmer-oriented apps
developed, only 3.3% of farmers use
apps specifically designed for
agriculture
The same app designed for rice, pepper,
and coffee documented 40-50% use by
pepper and coffee farmers and less
than 3% by rice farmers
BUT

4. Working with different users to identify needs
• Survey over 200 rice farmers and 60 field agents
• Focus group discussions with farmers and field
agents to test available apps
• Joined 2 digital development teams for testing their
apps with farmers
• Stakeholder engagement forum to brainstorm
innovations

5. 1M5R Practices
Benchmarks
enabler
Co-creation indicators

6. Vertical integration of digital tools
Digitized spatially explicit
statistical reporting system of
government (website)
Field water level sensors
(product)
Performance assessment app
or technical advisory (app,
videos)
Target users
• Private companies producing
rice or buying rice
• Input suppliers
• Farmer cooperatives
• Extension agents
• Advanced farmers
• Researchers
• Practitioners (project developers)
• Farmers
• Researchers
• Irrigation service providers
• Government officials at different
levels – commune, province,
regional, national
• Researchers
• Practitioners (project developers)
• Investors
Type of tool Use cases
• Identify hotspots
• National inventories
• Develop incentive
programs (carbon credits)
• Guide investments/ policies
• Identify areas for
improvement
• Enable certification
• Access information to
improve practices
• Store information/ records
• Connect farmers with
incentive programs/ markets
• Enable farmer decision-
making
• Safeguard losses
• Information transfer
• Store records
Greenhouse
gas calculator
API

7. Digital ecosystem
• Digitize the statistical reporting system to store data on
farm management practices in a centralized database
and enable spatial content
• Develop a field agent app that is linked to the same
system where data can be recorded at the field-level
• Enable system so data is accessible to and can be
sent via messenger app to beneficiaries
• Alerts enabled to warn beneficiaries and provide
guidance
• Validate the aggregate data of the statistical
reporting system
• Enable carbon emission reduction incentivization
• Benchmarks created for management practices

8. Field-level digital tool
• Farmers get notifications by SMS of the field water level at the
frequency they determine
• Farmers can manage their field
water level more accurately.
Saves water, reduces GHG
emissions.
• Decision-support tool for farmers
and/or irrigation service providers
• The data can be used for added
verification of emission reduction
practices
• Supports behavior change –
water management practices are
largely cultural and changes
done correctly do not reduce
yield

9. Thank You!
k.nelson@irri.org