Tropical Agriculture 4.0: efficient water management

Producers of avocado, cocoa, Tahití lime, and papaya in Colombia, Ecuador, and Honduras will have an alternative for water management, supported by electronic and digital technologies to irrigate timely, without excess or deficit

Context of the story

Limited access to water management technologies in agriculture hampers the ability of small and medium producers in LAC to compete globally (DNP, 2018). Fedesarrollo (2020) reports that LAC's GDP growth is 2.9%, with 1.8% from increased productivity and 1.1% from natural resource use. In Colombia, 6% of 18.4 million hectares are irrigated, and productivity remains low. In Ecuador, 70% of producers lack mechanized irrigation, and Honduras lacks an agricultural census to quantify irrigation use and technology adoption. According to CEPAL et al. (2022), the sector must accelerate digitalization and promote Agriculture 4.0 to improve productivity and water efficiency

The use of electronic and digital technologies in agriculture in LAC will optimize resources on the farm, which will be reflected in the territories

The implemented initiative

According to CEPAL et al. (2022), the project “Tropical Agriculture 4.0: Efficient Water Resource Management” aims to “increase the efficient use of water by applying Agriculture 4.0 technologies in tropical crops of commercial and social importance.” Thus, OE1 is “to develop precision irrigation technologies for four fruit species in the Valle del Cauca region, Colombia.” OE2 aims to “generate a diagnosis of current water use and an irrigation program for cocoa in Ecuador, and cocoa, Tahiti lime, and papaya in Honduras.” Finally, with OE3, it will be possible to “implement a technology transfer program for the prioritized species in Colombia, Ecuador, and Honduras,” benefiting more than 2,040 people.

A functional framework of a complete digital platform will be delivered, allowing for precise water management on the farm, quantifying storage in real-time to make informed irrigation decisions.

The technological solution

This project involves the application of Agriculture 4.0 technologies to enable efficient water use at the farm level. Soil moisture sensors will be installed to provide real-time information on changes in soil moisture content at the root zone. This information will be transmitted via an IoT network to a server (the cloud). The data will be directly linked to a web application that will provide real-time updates on soil moisture content and send alerts before and during irrigation events. Irrigation activation will be automated, allowing remote operation of irrigation based on the commands given by the operator. All developments in the project will be communicated to the public and those interested in technological advancements through various media channels.

According to Peter Drucker (1974): "What cannot be measured cannot be controlled, what cannot be controlled cannot be managed, and what cannot be managed cannot be improved."

Peter Ferdinand Drucker. (1974). The Practice of Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices. Editor: Harper & Row, 1974. Michigan University. 839pp. ISBN 0060110929, 9780060110925

Participating countries

Type of project

Agronomic Practices

Results

Technical recommendation for irrigation management in three scenarios: 1.Standard program for producers who cannot access digital technologies, applicable in the area where the technology was developed; 2.Recommendation for producers not connected to the IoT network, who operate the application manually and can use it in any conditions where soil moisture monitoring is available; 3.Producers connected to the IoT network, who receive irrigation recommendations directly from the Web application. Identification of the technology's value proposition: Producers will optimize resource use, resulting in economic, environmental, and social benefits. Entry into digital agriculture, enhancing their competitiveness.