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The Impact of Irrigation Automation

Our second article in this three-part series about irrigation automation brought intel from Netafim experts and two farmers about the impact of irrigation automation on the farm. Click here to read this article.

“Take into consideration the value of your crop when thinking about irrigation automation,” said Nickie Theron, Netafim Southern & East Africa’s Product Manager specialising in Digital Farming. “How far you push irrigation automation on your farm will depend on the expected return on investment. There is no need to over invest or over design systems for crops that cannot return your investment.” Having said that, he added that automation is scalable and that some level of irrigation automation is valuable for all crops and circumstances. “Automation unlocks precision and allows you to get the most from the resources you do invest.”

In this article, let’s investigate the development and future of irrigation automation. We’ll also consider a few irrigation automation scenarios, to discover the possibilities of what irrigation automation can do on your farm.

Continuous Improvement

According to Gert Loubser Horticulturist of the Karsten Group’s Mosplaas production unit, the drive for continuous improvement is key to the value they place on irrigation automation. “We focus on using the technology available optimally and on pushing these technologies to their limits in order to achieve our goals. For me, this means making the technologies work for your goals, instead of adapting your goals to available technologies and its capabilities. It is valuable to work with a technology supplier that can cooperate on finding solutions for the unique challenges on your farm.”

The drive for ever-improving efficiency, he adds, is not optional. “We are under rising pressure to use less water and cut input costs. This is synonymous with farming and means that we have a permanent drive for higher efficiency. There is just no room for wasting resources or farming inputs. We need precision to achieve our goals in a context where efficiency is key. This precision is unlocked by well-implemented technologies.”

Striking a Balance

Theron adds that it is not only about continuous improvement, but also about balance. “It is important to strike a balance between embracing the latest technology and ensuring that the system is practical for your farm, your team and your goals. “Although automation technologies unlock precision across the farm, we must remember that human interaction and critical thinking still play a critical role.” He emphasises that the value of irrigation automation is nullified if it is not managed correctly. “This is why it is important that all relevant team members are trained sufficiently and understand the basics of operating the automation equipment.”

The balance to strike, he continues, is to install a system that you and your team feel comfortable with, and to work with a supplier that you know can offer the necessary support. “Yes, you should always be focused on growth and push technologies accordingly but also remember to remain aligned with your production goals and stick to basic good agronomic and hydraulic principles.”

Key to finding this balance, is to involve the necessary experts when planning, executing and managing your irrigation automation system. “It all starts with knowing your crop, soil type and water composition, as well as working with an agronomist, irrigation dealer and other experts to align system planning with the necessary information and goals,” says Theron.

Asking the Right Questions

Whether you are starting off with irrigation automation or planning to expand the existing automation on your farm, there is a lot to think about when planning the system and selecting equipment. Although you will have experts by your side, let’s also look at a few important aspects to think about to get the process going:

Infrastructure: What exists and what will be required? Do I need to build a head control room?

Connectivity: Do I have internet connection to embrace cloud integration? Is there signal on the farm?

Communication: Where will the valves be? How far is it from the controller to the valves? How far apart are the valves?

Power: Do I have access to electricity? Must I select equipment compatible to solar energy? Can my power resources handle expansion?

System design: What must the system be able to do? What will be the true system requirements and how do we plan accordingly to prevent over-investing?

Fertigation: What type of fertiliser will be used and how will this affect the system design?

Trusted partners and suppliers: Who can I work word to ensure I have access to reliable quality equipment. Which suppliers and experts will be able to meet my current and future irrigation automation needs?

Theron adds advice for existing irrigation automation users who want to take their system to the next level. “Start by determining the exact expectation and requirements going forward. If you have very specific current or future requirements, that should be your focus. Ensure that the equipment acquired can fulfil these requirements. The driver of expansion can also be the need for greater system capacity. The hydraulic demands of the system may shift, as may the management requirements.”

Theron says moving to cloud-based irrigation automation is a common and important next step for many irrigation automation users. “When everything is on the cloud, especially if it is housed on one platform, it makes it easier to see and control the entire system from anywhere. All data is collected and can be viewed in one place. This is an important benefit if you need to provide data to third parties, such as consultants, who need to make recommendations based on this data.

  “Although automation technologies unlock precision across the farm, we must remember that human interaction and critical thinking still play a critical role.”  

Nickie Theron, Product Manager

Success Scenarios

To illustrate not only the impact of irrigation automation, but the different capabilities and applications, let’s look at four irrigation automation scenarios. These scenarios were created by Jared Gouws, Netafim Southern & East Africa Digital Farming Technician, based on real-life experiences in the field. Each scenario will look at the state of operations before automation, the state with automation and the impact of the implemented irrigation automation technologies.

Precision Fertigation with Variable Crop Zones

Manual Process:

The operator must physically mix fertilizer into the irrigation system. Each crop zone may need different nutrient mixes depending on growth stages and the operator must manually switch valves to direct fertigation to the correct area. There is high risk of over- or under-fertilizing due to timing and human error.

With Automation:

A controller with an injection unit is installed and now a programmable fertigation unit automatically blends fertilizers according to crop-specific recipes. In addition, the system pulls real-time data from soil sensors, crop models, and growth-stage logs.  Solenoid valves and flow meters direct fertigation to specific zones with millilitre-level accuracy, while cloud software logs nutrient applications and alerts if anomalies occur

Impact:

  • Better crop performance and uniformity.
  • Reduced fertilizer use and environmental runoff.
  • Massive labour and time savings.

 Night Irrigation with Variable Pressure Requirements

Manual Process:

The operator must physically start pumps at night to reduce evaporation loss. Different fields or driplines require different pressure levels, and the operator must adjust pressures manually. The operator must monitor the system throughout the night for leaks or pressure drops.

With Automation:

The system schedules night irrigation based on weather forecasts and evapotranspiration rates. To answer in different pressure requirements, smart pressure sensors automatically adjust the pump speed via a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). If a leak or burst line is detected (via pressure loss or flow anomalies), the system isolates the section, shuts down the pump, and sends an alert.

Impact:

  • Water is used efficiently at optimal times.
  • Pressure-sensitive crops or driplines are protected.
  • The operator doesn’t need to be physically present or lose sleep.

Dynamic Irrigation Based on Soil Moisture and Weather Predictions

Manual Process:

Irrigation is scheduled based on a calendar, such as active irrigation every 3 days. The operator does not have the necessary control to easily account for rain events or micro-climate variability across the farm. The result is the common occurrence of over-irrigation or under-irrigation.

With Automation:

Fields are divided into moisture zones with wireless tensiometers or capacitance probes. Weather station data is used to adjust irrigation based on rainfall forecasts. The system calculates exact runtime and volume per zone, accounting for evapotranspiration and root depth. If the sensors indicate a zone is wetter than required, it is skipped automatically.

Impact:

  • Water savings of 30 to 50%.
  • Consistent moisture levels improve crop health and reduce disease.
  • Less stress on pumps and water sources.

Centralised Control of Distributed Irrigation Across a Large Farm

Manual Process:

The operator drives or walks between distant fields to start and stop irrigation. This manual approach leads to inconsistent practices across blocks and finally uneven irrigation timing and unnoticed pressure drops. In addition, records are kept manually and often poorly.

With Automation:

A central SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) manages all irrigation zones from one control room or app. All pump stations, valves, filters, and fertigation units across the farm are networked and the operator can see real-time statuses indicating flow, pressure, valve position, filter status, etc. Adjustments can be made remotely, and logs are automatically stored for audits.

Impact:

  • Massive labour reduction.
  • Optimised water distribution.
  • Improved traceability and compliance with sustainability standards.

The Future of Irrigation Automation

According to Gouws, automation will become increasingly feasible for smaller farms and farms in developing regions. “As technology develops, I believe we will see more affordable sensor and controller kits that can cover significant needs on the farm.” He also predicts these technologies becoming more feasible for off-grid or semi off-grid farms as the cost of solar and renewable energy decrease. “I believe more farms will be able to adopt smart irrigation with less dependence on grid electricity.” Further increased feasibility of irrigation automation will be driven by wider connectivity. “As signal availability reach more remote areas, it enables real-time remote monitoring and control in regions previously unreachable,” says Gouws

“I also expect deeper integration of irrigation systems into full farm-management ecosystems. This would mean that irrigation is fully linked with fertilisation, pest control, crop monitoring, yield forecasts and more.”

Not only may the future hold greater feasibility, but there will also be a greater need. According to Gouws increased regulations and certification requirements, as well as consumer demand for sustainable production may make irrigation automation a competitive differentiator by offering traceability and data transparency.

“What used to require multiple people, spreadsheets, and sleepless nights is now easily manageable from a phone or dashboard with data-driven decisions.”

Jared Gouws, Digital Farming Technician

Complexity Shifted

Gouws emphasises that, although automation systems may seem complex, the big value lies in the fact that it handles the complexity, so the farmer doesn’t have to. “What used to require multiple people, spreadsheets, and sleepless nights is now easily manageable from a phone or dashboard with data-driven decisions.”

Understanding the possibilities of irrigation automation, is all about understanding the irrigation automation needs on your farm, adds Theron, “What is still done manually? What consumes a lot of time and must be repeated often? Which common mistakes occur that can be prevented? Ask yourself these and other relevant questions to determine automation opportunities on your farm.”