The AGRARIA Project Leverages Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture to Address the Water Crisis

At a time when the Spanish water reserve is critically low, with only 54.7% of its total capacity at the beginning of March, the AGRARIA project has emerged as a beacon of hope for the Spanish agri-food sector. This project is funded through the Artificial Intelligence R&D Missions Program of the State Secretariat for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA) of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration and is primarily aimed at using advanced technologies to develop more technological, innovative, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly agricultural production methods.

In this critical context, where water management has become a priority, the AGRARIA project stands as a pillar of solutions. One of Spain's leading agricultural consultancy firms, TEPRO, and the multinational technology company GMV carried out a study as part of this project that has shown significant advances in optimizing water use in agriculture through the use of artificial intelligence and climate-data analysis.

Significant Progress in Water Use Optimization

TEPRO and GMV's collaborative work has successfully developed models to predict the volume content of water in soil available for growing using core variables such as rainfall, evapotranspiration, crop-specific crop coefficient for almond trees, and water content. These models are based on climate data analysis and make it possible to anticipate crop water requirements and optimize the use of irrigation. According to simulations carried out on a 13-hectare farm in Carmona, Seville, with Lauranne variety almond trees, there were estimated reductions of up to 58% in the irrigation water used for certain periods throughout the production cycle.

Predicting soil water content not only helps to anticipate irrigation needs but also contributes to streamlined and more effective use of irrigation water by adapting agricultural practices to predicted climatic conditions. The results of the simulations always require field validation, but they are very encouraging and can be used later to optimize the use of irrigation, ensuring an efficient and sustainable use of water resources.

A Project Focused on the Sustainable Future of Agriculture

The AGRARIA project, which ends this year, is in line with the objectives of the Recovery, Resilience, and Transformation Plan by directly addressing the water crisis affecting the whole of Spain. The combination of artificial intelligence and climate data analysis allows farmers to anticipate and adapt to changing conditions, using water more efficiently and contributing to the sector's sustainability.

The head of GMV's Secure e-Solutions Industry Sector and AGRARIA project coordinator, Miguel Hormigo, stressed the importance of this progress: “At a time when water management is essential for the survival of agriculture in Spain, the AGRARIA project has emerged as a reference in the implementation of technological solutions to address the water crisis.”

This project, supported by the Artificial Intelligence R&D Missions Program, demonstrates how technology can be a fundamental ally in the search for sustainable and efficient solutions to the challenges of Spain's agricultural sector.

The AGRARIA Project: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLIED TO THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION VALUE CHAIN 2050 (TSI-100114-2021-0) project has been funded by the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, through the R&D Missions in Artificial Intelligence 2021 program, within the framework of the Digital Spain 2025 Agenda and the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, with European Union funding through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

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