Webinar Series on the Theme: Smart Irrigation Management (3rd Webinar)

Date: 18 December 2025, 14:30 hrs (IST) Topic: Principles and Technology of Smart Irrigation Welcome Address: Dr. R.K. Gupta, Secretary General, ICID Opening Remarks: Dr. Marco Arcieri, President, ICID Speaker: Prof. Dr. WU Wenyong, Ph.D., Secretary General, CNCID, Professor at IWHR, Beijing, China Smart irrigation practices represent one of the most effective responses to global water scarcity in agriculture. These systems replace traditional flood or fixed-schedule watering with precise, data-driven delivery, using soil-moisture sensors, weather forecasts, evapotranspiration models, and plant-water-status measurements to supply exactly the amount of water crops need, exactly when and where they need it. Automated controllers, variable-rate drip lines, micro-sprinklers, or center-pivot systems adjust flow in real time, often reducing water consumption by 30–50 % while maintaining or increasing yields. Advanced versions incorporate artificial intelligence to predict future demand, optimize scheduling across entire fields or districts, and integrate fertigation for simultaneous nutrient delivery. By minimizing runoff, deep percolation, and evaporation, these technologies not only conserve scarce freshwater resources but also reduce energy use, limit soil salinization, and lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with pumping and fertilizer leaching. As sensor costs decline and connectivity improves, smart irrigation is shifting from a luxury practice to a mainstream necessity, enabling farmers everywhere to produce more food under increasingly variable climate conditions while protecting the aquifers, rivers, and ecosystems on which future agriculture depends. #drainage #foodsecurity #ruraldevelopment #irrigation #floodmanagement #internationalorganisation #icid #watersecurity #smartirrigation