Irrigation efficiency and digitalization in Spain

Efforts to improve irrigation efficiency and water management in Spain have progressed from a focus on hardware design to the implementation of digital monitoring technologies.

Initial developments emphasized the importance of hydrodynamic design in irrigation systems to ensure precise water distribution and reduce pressure losses. Companies like Agropino have focused on providing specialized components, such as pipes, emitters, and valves, to create balanced hydraulic circuits tailored to specific terrains and crops.

More recently, the regional government has moved toward digitalizing irrigation through a pilot project in Abanilla. This initiative, targeting the El Porvenir irrigation community, utilizes real-time data from moisture probes, meteorological stations, and lysimeters to optimize water and fertilizer use. According to Minister Joaquín Buendía, the project aims to shift management from estimates to a model based on “data and scientific certainty” to reduce resource loss and control agricultural leachates in areas vulnerable to nitrate pollution.