Digital applications for improving efficiency and for monitoring agricultural water use play an increasing role in the debate on small-scale irrigation in international cooperation. On the one hand, technical processes for minimizing irrigation water and reducing the use of fertilizers as well as for energy savings in irrigation technology can be supported. On the other hand, apps can often facilitate management processes and the monitoring of irrigation and operating systems. However, up to now, digital applications that specifically target small-scale irrigation have only been used sporadically and pilot-like in GIZ projects.

As part of a market analysis — which is supported by the Competence Centers for Agriculture and for Water, SV Sustainable Agriculture, SV Sustainable Waterpolicy, Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector and the Project Promotion of the productive agriculture, Niger — the team investigating the potential of digital applications for small-scale irrigation. The aim is to identify and structure existing experiences and, based on current developments and challenges, to define further requirements for digital applications in this area.

For that reason Ralph Elsaesser was selected as a consultant to conduct a study. As a graduate engineer in electrical engineering and a graduate hydrogeologist he has been working for almost 25 years at the interface between water and IT, for the past 10 years also in the synergy space of agriculture and computer science.

The study is to gather experiences from different directions. An exchange with as many discussion partners from different areas is therefore necessary. Experiences and requirements from development projects, especially from Africa and Asia, are interesting, as well as knowledge from competence centers and universities or details about available technical products. The focus is on increasing efficiency of irrigation practices and sustainable use of the resource.

Ralph Elsaesser is searching more interview partners for short ~30 minute interviews via Skype or another channel. If you are available and if you have an interest in sharing your experiences please write to ralph.elsaesser@geo-solutions.de or Skype user name: relsaesser

Who is this event for?

Members of the GIZ working group on water and agriculture, experts from GIZ agriculture and water sector projects, freelance consultants, companies working at the interface water and agriculture, experts from the GIZ sector networks Mediterranean Environmental Network, Sector Network Rural Development and Services on Water and Sanitation.

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Additional information

IDA Community Water and Agriculture & Agriculture and Water explores interlinkages between those two important sectors. Visit the Community Website on IDA to stay updated on newest events and join the regular group meetings to discuss about selected topics. You have a new product or experience around Water and Agriculture or maybe a challenging task that has to do with it? The IDA Community is the right place to bring it forward.