The field without water is not the same, but the ongoing periods of drought that Spain suffers make it necessary to make the most of this resource. In this regard, the use of the Internet of Things can help reduce consumption by half, according to the company 1NCE. The company highlights the potential of this technology in the realm of what is known as smart agriculture.
Recurrent Drought in Spain
This role is especially important when considering that almost all areas of the country are affected by drought episodes during the hottest months and, in some cases, throughout the year, as emphasized by 1NCE.
The Country with the Most Irrigated Land in the EU
Furthermore, it is important to remember that Spain ranks as the first country in terms of irrigated land area in the EU, and the largest worldwide in localized irrigation area. Thus, 52.69% of the total irrigated area is covered by this type of system, while the global average is around 6% of the total irrigable territory, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
According to the latest data from the Survey on Crop Areas and Yields (ESYRCE) of the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2021, 3,862,811 hectares out of a total of 16,902,423 hectares cultivated in Spain were irrigated, which represents 22.85% of the total cultivated area.
IoT, a Technological Solution to This Crisis
1NCE emphasizes that by putting IoT at the service of agriculture, it is possible to reduce the loss of fertilizers caused by excessive irrigation and obtain actionable information regardless of the season or climatic conditions.
Additionally, 1NCE places great importance on IoT for the agricultural sector. Currently, the company supports 1,600 businesses in 90 countries (including Spain) with smart pest and disease control, crop monitoring, smart and precision irrigation, and beehive monitoring, among other use cases, which represent more than 7% of its customer base.
How Does IoT Help in Agriculture?
In general terms, 1NCE provides IoT connectivity to enable the automation and data collection that allows farmers to operate more efficiently, sustainably, and profitably.
More specifically, the multinational can assist in controlling soil moisture levels, weather forecasting, crop health, remote sensing, crop scouting, livestock tracking, and managing automated equipment.
1NCE also offers solutions for supply chain management, agricultural safety, climate-optimized irrigation, water resource management, frost protection, fertilizer injection, and monitoring heavy agricultural equipment.