Executive Certificate in Precision Irrigation

Meeting crop water needs is a fundamental requirement for the growth and development of cultivated plants. With ongoing climate change and the structural droughts affecting our continent, pressure on water resources continues to increase. Any savings in water usage can contribute significantly to expanding irrigated agricultural areas and, in turn, to enhancing national and continental food security. Additionally, water is the primary factor that determines the efficiency of other aspects of crop management, such as fertilization, crop protection, and other cultural practices. This training program focuses on crop irrigation and aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of irrigation planning. It covers key aspects such as calculating crop water requirements, understanding data collection technologies like IoT and remote sensing, data processing, decision-support models, and developing digital interfaces for irrigation management. Organized by the AgriTech Center of Excellence at UM6P, a research, development, and innovation platform dedicated to precision agriculture in Morocco and Africa, this certificate equips agricultural producers with the information, knowledge, and skills to:

Plan and manage crop irrigation using digital technologies.
Apply water resources at the right time, in the right amount, and where needed to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
Minimize waste, reduce environmental impacts, and ultimately enhance the profitability of irrigated crops.

Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges, applications, and opportunities offered by new technologies in crop irrigation. By the end of the training, they will have acquired knowledge on:

Estimating crop water needs.
Using digital tools for irrigation planning.
Exploring available digital irrigation solutions and their applications.
Best practices in crop irrigation.

Curriculum Overview

General Information

Water Sources
Organization of irrigation perimeters in Morocco (Large-scale, Medium-scale, and Small-scale irrigation).
Types of irrigation systems.
Components of irrigation systems (from storage basin to drippers).
Water quality.

Calculating Crop Water Requirements

Water Balance
Evapotranspiration:
- Definitions (ETP, ETC, ET0, ETM) and methods for calculating ET0.
Crop Coefficient (Kc).
Determining irrigation needs.
Irrigation scheduling:
- Number of irrigations.
- Duration and frequency of irrigations.

Connected Devices for Real-Time Data Collection

Soil Moisture Monitoring:
- Sensors (Tensiometers, Neutron probes, Capacitive sensors).
Weather Data:
- Air temperature, global radiation, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction.
Crop Parameters.
Soil Parameters:
- Texture, pH, salinity, etc.
Direct Plant Measurements:
- Leaf and canopy temperature, isotopic carbon (C12/C13), dendrometry.
Using remote sensing for data collection.

Data Analysis and Processing

Decision-support models.
Digital interfaces.

Irrigation Control and Management Tools

Remote control and operation of:
- Solenoid valves.
- Motor pumps.
- Fertilizer injection stations and filtration systems.

Practical Studies

Visiting irrigation head stations and working with automation systems.
Installing sensors to measure soil moisture, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil temperature.
Exploring mobile apps and web platforms for precision irrigation management.
Field demonstrations of irrigation management.