EIP-AGRI Operational Group ‘IRRISMA’ developed a smart water management system in Kavallari near Lake Koroneia in Greece, an area where water sources are under significant pressure. The system, which combines precision irrigation technology with tailored advice, enables farmers to improve yield by five per cent and reduce water use by up to ten per cent. The system also has a positive impact on water quality and the local environment, and reduces production costs for farmers.

In the context of an increasingly drier climate, underground water bodies around Kavallari are continuously used to meet the needs of the local population and for agriculture. This has had an impact on groundwater quality and availability, so much so that the lake is shrinking in volume. In the area, the availability of groundwater in wells has reduced by almost seventy per cent. Faced with these challenges, local measures have been put in place to charge farmers for the use of groundwater for irrigation. In addition, the cost of energy for pumping water and irrigating crops has increased in recent years, leading to higher fees for farmers and higher prices of products for consumers.

The ‘IRRISMA’ EIP-AGRI Operational Group was set up to find solutions for using water more efficiently, not only to lower costs but also to maintain the health of the crops, protect vital water resources and improve the sustainability of the local environment. The project developed a smart water management system which allows farmers to monitor water more precisely. Scientific coordinator of the project Pantazis Georgiou: “We designed and developed an intelligent precision system for the optimal management of irrigation water, which we tested on a cotton crop.” Equipment was installed on the test fields, including a weather station and sensors to monitor soil moisture, soil temperature, soil salinity, groundwater level and water use. One field was maintained using the previous irrigation system.

The data collected was fed into software which makes an accurate calculation of irrigation needs and provides tailored advice on optimal irrigation planning and methods. The software is web-based and user-friendly, and can be applied to many different crops.

The results showed that, compared to the conventional plots, the smart system enables a reduction of water use by seven to ten per cent, and the cotton yield was about five per cent higher. Crop quality was also assessed based on visual and physical characteristics, confirming that standards were maintained or increased. Furthermore, the underground and surface waters were left in good condition and were able to cover both crop and environmental water needs.

The availability and quality of natural resources have a direct impact on the competitiveness and resilience of the farming sector. Georgios Kefalas was one of the farmers involved in the EIP-AGRI Operational Group: “We have seen a significant reduction in the consumption of the water we use, and at the same time we have improved the yields of the crop, so it demonstrates that we produce more using fewer resources, and, most importantly, it is more environmentally responsible and sustainable.”

Further information

Georgios Kefalas’ farm was visited as part of the EU CAP Network Cross-visit ‘Irrigation - optimising water use practices in annual (and perennial) crops’ in May 2025.