Métrica6 is specialized in designing, building and implementing smart solutions for environmental sustainability, with expertise in water efficiency. Now, Métrica6 plans to mature its patented technology, becoming a smart irrigation system for DIVA Project that uses proprietary hardware and a digital platform for comprehensive control and data analysis. The solutions of this project will be flexible in terms of their functionalities, all under the name of WAISENSE® technologies, offering customized features, so that the farmer can choose the ones he needs according to crop management, weather conditions, fertilizer/stimulant inputs, state of the irrigation facilities, desired degree of automation and many other variables.

Growers will know the potential of WAISENSE® water monitoring solutions to forecast possible savings, anticipating the feasibility and return on investment. This tool will be presented to local producers to raise awareness of the circular economy. The WAISENSE® platform will become the digital twin of the WAISENSE® custom hardware implementation, allowing the remote control of the irrigation installation with all the sustainability advantages that come with it.

The advantages compared to the water management system of real crops are mainly economical for the customer, since water consumption costs are reduced due to leak detection and the detention and prevention of freezing and bursting of pipes, irrigation changes are avoided when the soil is already wet and the mixing and distribution of fertilizers is optimized. All these data will be reflected in the platform with a specific area for the total amount of water saved (in m³ and euros), so that the producer knows how much he has already saved. To dimension the water saving potential, we take Europe’s water consumption in crops and the 10.2 million hectares (ha) of irrigated fields in 2016, which is about 27,850 m³ per hectare per year. Taking into account only the average 30% of losses due to leakage (without other water wastage such as unnecessary flooding, evaporation and so on), there is a potential for water savings of at least 8,355m3/ha/year. According to several studies, an average water rate of 0.3 euros/m³ is applied to agricultural uses, which means a saving of more than 2,500 euros/ha. Therefore, it is estimated that the average equipment and installation of WAISENSE® Smart Irrigation Technology generates a return on investment for the producer during the first 12-18 months.

Furthermore, the environmental impact of this WAISENSE® technology is undeniable, as it reduces the water used in the crop production cycle and the regeneration of the soil, and consequently reduces the energy and CO₂ wasted in the whole water cycle. The proposed digital solution is also socio-economically positive for the region, with quality jobs and local investments in the installation and maintenance of intelligent irrigation equipment, innovation in the circular economy, improvement in the performance of irrigation cooperatives, etc.

This innovation is part of the European DIVA project, financed through the European Horizon 2020 programme and whose full name is “Boosting innovative DIgitech Value chains for Agrifood, forestry and environment”. Its main objective is to promote the digitalization of the agrifood, environmental and forestry sectors. Specifically, it aims to promote innovation applied to the business models that currently govern these productive sectors through the introduction of technology in their end-to-end value chains, from the production of raw materials, through their processing in the factory, to the transport phase, logistics and arrival at the end consumer.