Too little or too much water can be disastrous for plants so Irreo, an Italian start-up, has devised an automated irrigation system that uses satellite information to deliver the right amount of water to crops depending on soil, weather and other factors. 

Irreo is using Melita Limited connectivity, after the Maltese telecom company supported an acceleration programme for European start-ups to develop 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) based products and services.

With the ability to adjust irrigation within a single field, Irreo’s solution can improve crops yield and save farmers money by calculating crop’s needs based on the season, weather forecasts, soil moisture, plant behaviour and more, adapting irrigation accordingly. 

Irreo’s CEO, Andrea Pomente, said: “Irreo is a simple, innovative and relatively cheap system that aims to maximise soil yield in terms of crop quality and quantity and to optimise water and energy consumption related to irrigation activities, without the need to install and maintain probes or sensors in the field. With Irreo, farmers have a tool that supports them in taking more conscious and wise daily decisions to better manage crops.”

The system has an accuracy of nine square meters and also warns farmers of weather phenomena that will occur in the following days, giving time to schedule the optimal irrigation strategy in advance.