“It is not just about how we define sustainable agricultural practices today; it is about how we imagine agriculture in future”, said one of the researchers from the SmartLand working group. In a region where nearly half of the water resources are used for irrigation and frost protection, researchers are now addressing the issue of more sustainable irrigation practices. In fact, the concept of precision irrigation is a key element for modern and sustainable horticulture. Therefore, the aim is to create suitable technical tools and guidelines for the farmers.

In order to achieve this objective, three project partners joined forces and laid the foundation for the SmartLand project in 2019. The Research Centre Laimburg provided scientific and technical knowledge for testing; the ALPERIA company, the main energy provider of the region, contributed with the technological development of sensors; and the Südtiroler Beratungsring (SBR), the regional extension service for fruit and winegrowing, contributed by developing a website and smartphone app and providing technical advice to farmers.

In a first step, 120 tensiometers were installed in the main apple-growing areas of the region to measure soil water potential. These measuring stations send the collected values via low-power wireless communication modules (“LORA”) to gateways, which receive the data and forward it to the internet. The collected data are then visualised on a graph in the app designed by SBR. This way, the farmers can share their experience with sensor data, allowing a better understanding of the water status of the orchards. The app is very easy to use. The main functions are the activation of the tensiometers in the field and the graphic display of the measured values of soil water potential.

By optimising production and minimising waste of resources during the growing season, the same levels of fruit quality and yield can be maintained, thus improving agricultural sustainability from an ecological, economic and social point of view.

After two years of testing in the field, most of the farmers have said that they see the potential value of the new technology and are willing to install more sensors, also involving their neighbours and other colleagues. One of the farmers involved stated, “Thanks to the tensiometers, I can schedule irrigation according to the plants’ water needs and save water and energy. This allows me to work in a more sustainable manner without compromising the quality of the apples.” Following this positive feedback, the SmartLand team is already engaged in the development of a wider range of sensors. The final goal will be to offer a constant and comprehensive insight into the growing conditions and the physiological status of the plants.

With this first step, the farmers involved are now able to move from traditional water supply to smart irrigation, with tangible benefits both for the farm’s economy and the environment. In order to expand the system even further for the benefit of farmers, the development of irrigation valve control units and soil moisture modules for viticulture are also planned for the near future.