Less is More | An innovative desert plantation reduces water consumption and increases yield with Agrinoze
We know that plants need water in order to grow, but the question is how much? Today, agriculture accounts for 69% of global freshwater resource consumption but in many places, water for food production is used inefficiently. As the competition for water intensifies, this precious resource is becoming scarce which plays a large role in environmental degradation, including wildlife habitats, and increased pollution. It is becoming apparent that we need to change our approach to irrigation and reduce waste in order to keep feeding the planet for generations to come.
Save the Date
An 11-year-old plantation in the arid Jordan Valley region of Israel decided to take on this task with a goal of using water more efficiently — and the result is groundbreaking. As part of a precision irrigation project, Agrinoze’s unique algorithm-based solution was applied to the cultivation of dates in order to identify and manage the plantation’s irrigation needs, which turned out to be a lot less than expected.
The system was implemented in a dedicated date plot, and data was collected and analyzed in real-time. Immediate soil analysis ensures that plants receive the precise amount of water and nutrients that they need, and not a drop more (or less). This on-demand and around-the-clock solution ensure an increased yield of premium, export-quality fruit while conserving water and fertilizers.
During the first three months of the project, overall water usage has already gone down by 51.5%. While the plantation called for an average of 55 cubic meters of water per hectare (m3/Ha) each day, Agrinoze’s autonomous irrigation system required an average of only 26.7 m3/Ha. Also, because the water source used for irrigation is treated wastewater, and based on sensor analysis output, no fertilizers have been required thereby further conserving resources and decreasing expenses.
Global Growth
These findings have the potential to not only save money and conserve water for one Israeli plantation, but to serve as a showcase, bringing humanity closer to food security for the entire planet. The UN’s Zero-Hunger target calls to double agricultural productivity by 2030. Due to the limited amount of water and land resources, to attain this goal we must shatter the status quo and approach agriculture in a different way than in the past. Especially as we face drastic changes in climate, our dependence on professional experience and crop models is becoming insufficient and we can no longer afford to rely on trial and error. We must tackle the literal root of the problem.
