Participatory multi-Level EO-assisted Tools for Irrigation Water Management and Agricultural Decision-Support (PLEIADeS)
PLEIADeS was an EU FP6 research project aimed at improving the efficient and sustainable use of irrigation water in water-scarce environments. The project combined Earth Observation (EO), Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and participatory decision-making approaches to develop multi-level decision support systems for river basins, irrigation schemes, and farms. By integrating technological innovation with stakeholder participation, the project sought to enhance irrigation efficiency and agricultural water management.
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PLEIADeS integrated remote sensing, satellite observations, hydrological modelling, and participatory management into a comprehensive decision-support framework. The developed services supported irrigation scheduling, crop water demand estimation, water productivity assessment, and river basin allocation decisions using near real-time information. Considering economic, environmental, technical, social, and governance dimensions, the project improved decision-making for farmers, irrigation agencies, and water authorities. The developed technologies were validated through pilot studies across Europe, the Mediterranean, and Latin America.
Highlights
- 1) Developed EO- and ICT-based irrigation management systems.
- 2) Created multi-level decision-support tools for river basins, irrigation districts, and farms.
- 3) Developed the open-source SPIDER decision support platform.
- 4) Enabled remote monitoring of irrigation demand and crop water consumption.
- 5) Promoted participatory water management involving farmers and water authorities.
- 6) Demonstrated the methodology through pilot studies in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Morocco, Mexico, Peru, and Brazil.
