Identifying opportunities and challenges of digitalization in agricultural water management in Austria

Abstract

Due to climatic changes and a predicted decline in arable land, a significant increase in water demand for irrigation is expected in Austria. To ensure water supply and food security while promoting the responsible use of available water resources, reliable data and forecasts are essential for decision-making in all areas of water management. Agricultural water management and irrigation practices require up-to-date data and reliable forecasts of water demand and availability for the planning and operation of irrigation systems. Decision-makers need the same information for water management planning, such as the assessment of the regional water availability, as a basis for the approval of irrigation projects. In Austria, a lot of data is collected regularly and is available in analogue or digital form. Digitalization offers the opportunity to collect, link, process and make this data available. As part of a study, funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, digital data sources and digital tools relevant to irrigation in Austria were therefore collected, systematically compiled, and evaluated. The basis for the identification and selection was a comprehensive online and literature search. The systematic processing, compilation and evaluation constituted an iterative process in which representatives of the relevant stakeholder groups - water managers, farmers, and researchers - were involved through personal discussions and surveys to gain knowledge about awareness and use of digital tools. Deficits and potentials in connection with the digitalization of irrigation were also identified and discussed, and recommendations relevant to water management were derived. More than 70 digital tools and databases were identified and grouped according to their main characteristics, e.g. hydrology, climate, or soil, as well as according to subject areas based on the interests of the stakeholders. On this basis, information sheets were created to present the objectives that can be achieved with the application, such as promoting productivity or preventing the loss of irrigation water due to deep percolation. The results of this study provide information for a broad audience and identify knowledge and data gaps for future planning and research activities. However, to fully exploit the potential of digitalization in irrigation, efforts need to be made, for instance, to bridge the gap between digital technologies and the desired objectives, to promote inter-institutional cooperation and to improve both the quality and quantity of available data.