As AI4WATER Team continues to work on water optimization, a good and insightful discussion started between the Italian and Spanish teams (facilitated by Prof. Ivan Serina, DII, UniBS) to understand how we use AI to maximize crop yields, and optimize water utilization for different (irrigation, domestic and industrial) uses. The discussion was part of Prof. Eva Onaindia’s initiative from Universitat Politècnica de València with her team.
The series of seminars began by establishing AquaCrop’s fundamental characteristics as a field-scale, single-crop model that simulates soil moisture dynamics, crop development, and yield outcomes. What makes this approach particularly powerful is its integration with genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. This combination allows the system to generate optimal irrigation schedules that balance water constraints with crop needs, whether working with historical data, real-time conditions, or future climate scenarios.
The insights gained from this seminar will inform ongoing development of the AI4Water decision support system. Future work includes validating SoilGrids-derived parameters against additional local datasets, refining the optimization algorithms to handle multi-crop scenarios, and extending the framework to support integrated water management across agricultural, domestic, and industrial sectors.
As climate variability increases and water resources become more constrained, tools like the enhanced AquaCrop model will be essential for sustainable water management. The AI4Water team’s commitment to rigorous science, collaborative innovation, and practical application positions the project to make meaningful contributions to water security in the Mediterranean region and beyond.
You can access the full presentations and explore additional AI4WATER training materials here: https://ai4water.unibs.it/training-materials/
