Development of small-scale wisdom agriculture for smallholder farmers in West Sumatera Indonesia.
Generally, the ownership of agricultural land in West Sumatera is less than 5000 m2. With limited land, farmers have lesser option on what crop they will produce. Furthermore, similarly to grocery principle, the same farmer will have to put higher investment per M2 compare to larger estate, due to quantity of product they purchase (either fertilizer, herbicides, or farm equipments).
Our work focused on the application of low-cost SMART-precision farming technology to reduce the production cost of these farmers, in particular the needs of seeds, fertilizer or other input components. Although the results may not be as significant as the latest advanced farming technology, it is applicable to small farmers, with some success.
Therefore, in my opinion, "Wisdom Agriculture" is a must for achieving sustainable agriculture. Saving a dollar, the farmer may use their resources for other more beneficial goals, in particular education for their children.
Prof. Muhammad Makky