As part of the e-Rigation project, each partner contributes with specific knowledge and expertise to promote a more efficient and sustainable water management in agriculture. In this context, it is worth highlighting the participation of the Polytechnic University of Bragança (UPB), a public institution of higher education and research with a strong track record in the fields of agronomy, agrometeorology, water management, and digital technologies applied to the agricultural sector.
A Key Role in Innovation for Irrigation Management
As part of the e-Rigation project, UPB contributes to the development and refinement of tools designed for efficient water management in agriculture, participating in the evaluation of solutions that integrate irrigation applications, meteorological data, and virtual weather stations. The institution also hosts a pilot initiative of the project, collaborating in the validation of the developed solutions under real agricultural production conditions.
In addition, it participates in training and capacity-building activities aimed at farmers and technicians, as well as in analyzing the effectiveness of the solutions implemented and in transferring knowledge to various stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Experience and Objectives
UPB’s involvement is based on extensive experience in research related to irrigation management under conditions of water scarcity, particularly for Mediterranean crops of great socioeconomic and environmental importance, such as vineyards, olive groves, and almond orchards. The institution has expertise in the fields of agrometeorology, remote sensing, geographic information systems, hydrology, and computer science, developed primarily through the Mountain Research Center (CIMO) and the Research Center for Digitalization and Intelligent Robotics (CEDRI).
The Trás-os-Montes region, characterized by its mountainous terrain and high climatic variability, is a particularly suitable environment for testing and validating new technologies designed to facilitate irrigation management. In this regard, the UPB plays an important role in adapting the project’s solutions to the different agroclimatic conditions of the SUDOE region.
The goal of the e-Rigation project is to contribute to the development of innovative solutions that improve water use efficiency, strengthen the sustainability of agricultural systems, and increase crop resilience in the face of the challenges posed by water scarcity and climate change.