Fertilizer optimization (FOT) is a DARB tool used to assess the production requirement and potential returns to investment for all crop enterprises. The tool is dependent on the type of soil the farmers intend to have their crop enterprise. Fertilizer Optimization for the different Agro ecological zones is also processed on the profiles to determine the input requirement and possible returns to investments.
With GPS capture and geo shaping the field (i.e., walking the land while capturing coordinates of the corners) during the data collection process, the profile of the farmer is overlaid onto Digital Soil Types developed by NARO and this provides farmers with the underlying characterization of the soils to determine the most suitable crop and management practices to consider. This allows selection of the most suitable crops for an area, if the crop selection is coupled with appropriate management practice sustainable production is enhanced i.e., better yields would be attained without exhausting the productivity of the land.