FIGARO

Flexible and PrecIse IrriGation PlAtform to Improve FaRm Scale Water PrOductivity

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The objective of the FIGARO project is to significantly reduce the use of fresh water on farm level through developing a cost-effective, precision irrigation management platform. The platform will be structured for data acquisition from monitoring devices and forecasting tools, data interpretation, system control, and evaluation mechanisms enabling full decision support for end users at farm scale. These tools will be integrated with multiple state-of-the-art irrigation technologies and strategies as well as newly adapted devices leading to further increased water productivity. The flexibility, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, minimal maintenance of the system and often, increases in crop yield, will boost its acceptance and up-take by the end-users (the farmers, extension workers). In addition, as added value the system will enable reduction of fertilizer use, further supporting sustainable use of natural resources and adaptation of agricultural practice to climate change. To achieve this, the FIGARO project will develop a holistic and structured precision irrigation platform which will offer farmers flexible, crop-tailored irrigation scheduling protocols for their specific fields taking into account spatial variability management.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Agriculture uses enormous amounts of water. EU-funded engineers have developed a state-of-the-art irrigation platform to accurately manage the quantity of water used and promote sustainable farming.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The 'Flexible and precise irrigation platform to improve farm scale water productivity' (http://www.figaro-irrigation.net (FIGARO)) project addresses the use of fresh water on farmland. The aim of the project is the implementation of an irrigation management platform based on newly developed precision technologies. Field testing is now underway in Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

A number of existing software and hardware tools are integrated into the FIGARO platform to provide a farm-level decision support system for growers, technicians and water managers. The prototype platform components include a sophisticated decision support programme, a crop growth model, plant and soil sensors, data from satellite analysis and forecasting algorithms.

The platform structure is designed to integrate any type of sensing technique and management model, allowing it to expand its functions. Therefore, the platform can utilise models' sensing systems and networks calibrated to local conditions. Upcoming technologies such as robotic and mechatronic sensors can also be easily integrated into the platform.

Environmental and crop growth data are collected and fed into state-of-the-art agronomic models while cross checking data from a variety of sources. The result is accurate, precise and reliable recommendations for how and when farmers should irrigate their crops.

FIGARO gives policymakers an effective tool for monitoring and managing agricultural practices like irrigation, fertiliser application, and the use of saline or brackish water. The platform therefore allows decision makers to administer natural resources such as water and energy more effectively.

Food industry companies buying agricultural produce grown using the FIGARO system will reduce their environmental impacts. It will also be easier for them to comply with environmental regulations. They will also be able to use the label stating 'Environmentally friendly farming practices used in our products lowered water footprint'.

The platform's flexibility, ease of use and minimal maintenance will help to ensure its widespread uptake and use by end users. It will help to reduce water and fertiliser use while optimising energy consumption across farms. It will also help to adapt farming practices to climate change and enable farmers to comply with national, EU and international regulations and standards.