Farmers Try to Improve Their Irrigation Practices by Using Daily Irrigation Recommendations—The Vipava Valley Case, Slovenia

Abstract

Based on the latest climate change projections for the 21st century, high exposure to climate change is expected in Vipava Valley, Slovenia’s sub-Mediterranean agricultural area. An irrigation-decision support system was developed and implemented on 35 farms in the period of 2016–2020 to increase agricultural climate-change resilience. Farmers have shifted from irrigation scheduling based on experience and assumptions to irrigation scheduling based on real-time soil-water monitoring to partially implement irrigation based on irrigation-decision support systems. Simulations show that if farmers continue to practice justified irrigation applications and gradually transition to replenishing soil water reservoir content to 85%, they will achieve a 25% reduction in total irrigation-volume consumption, a 24% reduction in energy requirements and a 24% reduction in CO2 emissions. Future agricultural innovation policies should extend actions beyond the financial to those facilitating the establishment of multidisciplinary agricultural innovation teams with corresponding infrastructures to better enable the mutual exchange of knowledge, learning and development of a transparent institutional framework.

Advancing irrigation development in the European Union*

“…Another important driver for LIS development was to increase the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises and adapt to the expected future climate conditions (Cvejić et al ., 2019) (Table 1). A significant step towards increasing the efficiency of water and energy use and reduction of CO 2 generated by irrigation was the pilot introduction of a public decision support system for irrigation in several regions of the case study area from 2016, which was increasingly implemented through various European research and innovation projects, such as the EU LIFE project “Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change in the Vipava Valley” (LIFE ViVaCCAdapt) and European Innovation Partnership projects, and national target research programmes (Cvejić et al ., 2020) (Table 1).…”

“…The water protection standards increased significantly over the period, which reduced the water availability across river basins for further development of LIS; thus, their role afterwards was to adapt the strategic documents for developing irrigation, given the water use potentials. The research community focused on irrigation water resource management (Cvejić et al ., 2012; Glavan et al ., 2015; Zupanc et al ., 2020), plant yield and quality response to irrigation (Simončič & Knapič, 2004; Šircelj et al ., 2007; De Luis et al ., 2011; Ceglar & Kajfež‐Bogataj, 2012; Naglič et al ., 2014; Podgornik et al ., 2018; Zamljen, Zupanc, & Slatnar, 2020), nutrient uptake linked to irrigation (Šturm et al ., 2010; Zupanc et al ., 2011), groundwater protection (Uhan, Vižintin, & Pezdič, 2011; Maršić et al ., 2012), introduction of an irrigation decision support system for improving irrigation scheduling (Cvejić et al ., 2020), and use of communal wastewater for irrigation (project “Closing material flows by wastewater treatment with green technologies,” 2020).…”

“…For a more efficient transfer of irrigation know‐how to producers, in connection with local education and research establishments, long‐term demonstration services are needed and improved organizational transparency (such as scheduling and water availability). An important aspect raised by the literature addressing future irrigation innovation policy in this respect is not only the empowerment of the farmer extension service but also the establishment of multidisciplinary agricultural innovation teams with corresponding infrastructure to facilitate the mutual exchange of knowledge and learning (Kakumanu et al ., 2018; Cvejić et al ., 2020; Makin, 2020).…”

“…Irrigation system users and operators equipped with irrigation know‐how (i.e., plant water requirements and efficient irrigation techniques) rationalize water use by adequate water requirement planning (Schultz & De Wrachien, 2002; Burton, 2010; Cvejić et al ., 2020). These are contemporary issues for the irrigation sector that strives to increase the efficiency of irrigation system use while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact of agricultural production (Plusquellec, 2002; Playán & Mateos, 2006; Soto‐García et al ., 2013; Zhang et al ., 2013; Tarjuelo et al ., 2015).…”

Influence of the Water Source on the Carbon Footprint of Irrigated Agriculture: A Regional Study in South-Eastern Spain

“…Qureshi [74], improving on-farm irrigation management, achieved a 40% reduction in CO 2 emissions in Pakistan. Cvejic et al [75] also reduced the irrigation-volume consumption by 25% and the GHG emissions by 24%, through the adoption of irrigation-decision support systems tools in Vipava Valley (Slovenia). On the one hand, prioritising crops with lower water footprints and higher dietary efficiency, provided they are still profitable for farmers, is key to reduce the water demand.…”