FLEXIBLE AND PRECISE IRRIGATION PLATFORM TO IMPROVE FARM-SCALE WATER PRODUCTIVITY

FIGARO

June 2014

• The efficient and effective use of water in irrigation systems is of critical importance for sustainable agricultural development and overall economic growth, particularly in light of global population growth, the decreased availability of freshwater, increased energy costs and global climate change.

Project background

• We are developing a precision-irrigation system that will allow growers and the wider European community to benefit from cutting-edge developments in irrigation technology. This system is currently being evaluated at 11 field sites in different regions, soils and crops, to ensure that the final product will be robust and useful for growers across Europe.

Project background

• The system is designed to be modular and flexible, so that new technologies and agronomic models can be easily integrated into the FIGARO platform and growers can customize the system to meet their individual needs. The FIGARO irrigation decision-support system will allow growers to improve the efficiency of water use on their farms. This system will be reliable, cost-effective, user-friendly and flexible.

Project background

• The FIGARO irrigation decision-support system will allow growers across Europe to easily harness the power of cutting-edge irrigation technology and agronomic knowledge to optimize the use of water on their farms. These water savings will benefit the grower, the wider European community and the environment, not only improving the grower’s bottom line, but also helping to ensure European food security and environmental quality for generations to come. While primarily designed to conserve water, this system may also help farmers to use less energy, fertilizer and pesticides.

Benefits

• The system will collect environmental and crop data, feed that data into state-of-the-art agronomic models and provide accurate, precise and reliable recommendations for how and when farmers should irrigate.

How it works

How it works – Schematic Diagram

• This project is a joint effort of 17 different organizations from eight different countries, including a number of commercial and academic leaders in the field of irrigation.

Partners