CLIMATE CHANGE ACCELERATES ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION AND MAKES AGRICULTURE MORE RISKY

Climate change threatens the natural resource base across much of the developing world. Climate change accelerates ecosystem degradation and makes agriculture more risky. As a result, Millions smallholder farmers aged between 15 to 45 years living in rural areas with women and youth making majority in number (70%), are so critical to global food security, are facing more extreme weather.

Small-scale farmers are impacted more immediately by droughts, floods and storms, at the same time as they suffer the gradual effects of climate change, such as water stress in crops, coastal erosion from rising sea levels and unpredictable pest infestations. Smallholder farmers and their families are particularly vulnerable because they have few assets to fall back on and limited ability to recover from climate extremes. Exposure to such shocks trap small-scale farmers in poverty and undermine their efforts to escape it.

PROBLEM

On average, farms around the world account for 70% of all water that is consumed annually. 30% is used by farmers and 40% is lost to the environment due to poor irrigation systems, evaporation, and overall poor water management.

Manual, poor management and monitoring of irrigation systems leads to inefficiency use of energy- water. Over irrigation causes wastages of water for up to 50% which in turn causes longer pump run time resulting to 40% wastage of energy used in pumping water during irrigation processes (World Bank, 2022).

More than 70% of the global electricity demand is met by fossil fuels resources (oil, natural gas and coal). Irrigation is among major consumer of energy resources, and global energy use for irrigation is substantial.

Irrigation accounts for about 40% of global energy consumption. In remote and island regions, the demand for electricity is also increasing, usually supplied by diesel and/or other fossil fuel-based generation systems. A reliable and cost-effective supply of irrigation water is a core problem in many rural areas in developing and emerging countries. (FAO, 2023)

Manual lifting of irrigation water significantly reduces the scope of cultivation and the efficiency of irrigation – it does not, allow for pressurized systems that are required for water saving drip or sprinkler irrigation techniques.

In the absence of reliable electricity supply due to lack of grid connection or intermittent service, farmers in developing countries often rely on diesel-driven pumps for water abstraction and conveyance. These diesel-driven pumps create high operation costs and are prone to service gaps due to an insufficient fuel supply and technical defects which in most cases causes waste of energy for up to 40% and environment pollution (UN-Energy, 2022).

47.8% of the total irrigation pumps are diesel run which emits a huge amount of CO2 and other toxic gases as well as exacerbating climate change (UNEP, 2021).

ENHANCE 40% ENERGY AND 50% WATER SAVING WHILE MITIGATING 202.18 KGS OF CARBON EMISSIONS PER HECTARE PER SEASON PER FARMER

The climate smart irrigation system (climate smart irrigator) powered by solar and uses AI, machine learning, SMS, IOT sensors and big data technologies for detecting leakages, current flow, current lost, water flow, water lost, moisture content in soil, pressure variations, carbon emissions and inefficiencies with unprecedented accuracy.

Enables famers to control monitor and manage water, energy and carbon emission during the irrigation process, saving 40% of energy and 50% of water. The irrigation system through AI model and big data technology communicate real time data on energy and water usage together with carbon emission through algorithm before recording and store them in the data base for future use and decision making by agriculture stakeholder (Government, NGOs and private and multinational companies).

The system uses Chabot and bulk SMS technology sending SMS to farmers with tailored tips and reminders to sustain optimal long term sustainable irrigation. The systems are connected to online data base/server allowing farmers to register and receive electronic cards. Farmers top up their cards using mobile money services and use them for paying irrigation bills on pay as you irrigate.

The irrigation system also is connected to smart agri-fintech allowing on credit and on installment purchase as a special program for youth and women farmer with serious limited financial who pays later after harvesting, making it the service affordable for every farmer in anywhere.

On other hand we provide training to smallholder farmers on effectively and sustainable benefits and use of climate smart irrigation systems and services using FAO agroecology curriculum.