Empowering farmers through advanced technologies BOX 2 Turkey’s leading agricultural machinery manufacturer, TürkTraktör, developed a digital platform called “Tarlam Cepte” to help farmers make data-driven decisions. The platform provides moisture and crop water stress maps that allow farmers to effectively monitor fields and plant health. The system visually indicates water stress levels through colour coding, helping farmers address potential issues. The platform uses satellite imagery, machine learning and AI to analyse real-time water-stress data and provide actionable insights. With over 170,000 users, it supports various agricultural activities, including satellite-based plant health monitoring, fertilizer and pesticide pricing, commodity exchange rates, water management in critical areas and a 24/7 agricultural chatbot, “Trakbot”. Key features and applications: –Plant water stress map: Satellite data creates detailed plant health maps, highlighting water and moisture stress in leaves. For example, when a corn field has water stress, the platform notifies the farmer, helping them determine whether irrigation has been applied and if certain areas of the field have been over- or under-irrigated. –Irrigation recommendations: Based on historical and real-time data, the application analyses user inputs (e.g. crop type, irrigation method, soil type) and gives data-based recommendations for the next irrigation cycle. AI models regularly update irrigation strategies based on satellite data, adjusting to dynamic conditions. –Agricultural notifications: The application sends real-time notifications based on meteorological data, keeping farmers informed of essential agricultural activities to consider for their fields. –Corn yield prediction: AI and machine learning analyse the number of corn cobs and seeds by capturing photos before harvest, providing approximate yield predictions. By enabling farmers to track and manage water stress remotely, Tarlam Cepte helps optimize water usage. This approach demonstrates how digital technologies can enhance agricultural resilience to climate change while improving overall water efficiency. Source: TürkTraktör (2021).29 1.4 Leveraging technology to maximize rainwater harvesting Rainwater harvesting is a critical strategy to mitigate water scarcity and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Using the rainwater collected from rooftops, fields and other catchment zones, farmers can overcome dependence on over- extracted groundwater resources and secure a resilient water supply for their crops. For example, “Bhungroo”, a rainwater harvesting technology developed by Indian company Naireeta Services, filters, injects and stores excess stormwater in a large underground reservoir for later use by farmers. All the rainwater falling on a piece of land can be harvested in a Bhungroo, which would be sufficient to supply water to irrigate at least four times the area of the land used for harvesting. In January 2024, Bhungroo was awarded top innovator in the Zero Water Waste Challenge, launched by the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, a project of the World Economic Forum’s UpLink with HCL Group.30 Digital technologies can improve rainwater harvesting further by optimizing key steps of the process. By utilizing AI, sensors, drones and satellites, rainwater harvesting has evolved from a passive collection method into a dynamic data- driven water management technique, ensuring enhanced efficiency, resilience and long-term sustainability. From collection to utilization, farmers can minimize wastewater and adjust to changing By collecting rainwater from rooftops, fields and catchments, farmers can overcome dependence on groundwater and secure a resilient crop water supply. Harnessing Digital Technologies for Smarter Water Management in Agriculture 17

Harnessing Digital Technologies for Smarter Water Management in Agriculture 2025