The OurMED project participated in the final event of the Intel-Irris PrimaProgram project, organized in Oran, Algeria, on Thursday, May 9, 2024. The event aimed to explore pathways and strategies for extending the deployment of developed smart irrigation solutions to larger areas and other projects such as OurMED demo sites.
"The Intel-Irris project focuses on making technology accessible to smallholder farmers, who are the primary protectors of our terrestrial biodiversity against increasing Monoculture intensification," said Dr. Seifeddine Jomaa, coordinator of the OurMED project. "Compared to large farms, small farms often lack the investment capital or knowledge to acquire these technologies. Since small farms play a pivotal role in food security, biodiversity, and social stability in rural areas and beyond, the proposed solutions will cover different technology levels to match a broader range of farmer expectations and limitations, such as farm size, budget, irrigation practices, and crop variety, including small farms," added Dr. Jomaa.
The developed cost-effective precision irrigation solutions will not only improve irrigation scheduling but also serve to gather information and create a valuable database on soil type, climate, and crop practices and management, which are highly required for solution optimization and improvement, said Dr. Jomaa. The Intel-Irris project solutions have already been deployed in the Medjerda River basin, one of the OurMED demo sites.
More infos HERE.
