Water retention system for agriculture

Water retention system will optimize the management of available water resources for agricultural purposes at the local and farm level. It will also result in sustain biodiveristy and protect natural ecosystems due to integration with nature-based solutions.

It will support the following decisions: when and where to retain water; how much water to transfer between reservoirs; how to optimize the management of available water resources for specific soil types and plant needs, with particular attention to critical development stages.

The system will combine various techniques such as: (i) landscape structures, e.g., ponds, buffer zones, small wetlands; (ii) agrotechnical measures, e.g. appropriate crop rotation, reduced tillage, and catch/cover crops; (iii) irrigation and drainage infrastructure, e.g., drains, gates, pumps, pipelines, reservoirs, and ditches; (iv) measurement equipment and weather forecasts supported by remote sensing to analyse weather and soil conditions, plant growth stages, evapotranspiration, and water balance; (v) mathematical models and AI algorithms that help predict water demand and control water flow in real time.