Georgia farms are saving millions of gallons of precious water every year, thanks to a sophisticated system that applies precisely the right amount of water to each part of an irrigated field.

The system, called “variable rate irrigation” (VRI), accounts for subtle differences in topography and soil conditions, enabling Georgia farmers to cut water use by as much as 20 percent while optimizing crop yields.  It was developed at a University of Georgia lab in Tifton, Ga. – the National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL) – with support from GRA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NESPAL also is working on integrating wireless sensors that would report the exact temperature and moisture of the soil, yielding even more precise control of watering time and volume.

Beyond irrigation technology, NESPAL is working in forward-looking arenas such as:

• Bioenergy: developing crops with the greatest potential as energy sources and organizing conferences to educate Georgia farmers about this promising new area of agriculture.
• Pest management: identifying the areas of planted fields that are most vulnerable to destructive insects, making it possible to do a better job of preventing damage while reducing the application of pesticides.
• Technology to automate and streamline farm operations: These include wired and wireless camera and sensor systems and robotic tractors.

Proper irrigation is vital in Georgia’s hot, drought-prone climate; however, Georgia finds itself on the verge of a water supply crisis, threatening farmers’ access to affordable irrigation. Conservation is the most logical, least expensive step in managing water resources.

GRA, along with the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, founded NESPAL in 1991. In 1998, GRA provided $3.7 million to build NESPAL’s 50,000-square-foot facility. GRA also has invested $4.4 million into NESPAL’s Precision Farming Initiative.

From 1997 to 2006, the GRA investment in the Precision Farming Initiative helped to attract $30 million from federal and private sources a return of $6:$1.