ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (ABC):The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has proposed a £180,000 project to install artificial intelligence-powered, solar-driven irrigation systems at six agricultural research farms across the province, aiming to reduce irrigation water consumption by 30% to 50% through smart sensors, efficient watering technologies and groundwater recharge.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the proposed project, titled “Water Harvesting and AI-Based Solar Driven High-Efficiency Irrigation System (Drip & Sprinkler) at Agriculture Research Farms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” will combine solar-powered pumping, drip and sprinkler irrigation, and AI-based controls to improve water management and agricultural productivity.
The initiative envisages installing solar infrastructure, efficient irrigation networks and groundwater recharge systems at six pilot sites.
Soil, weather, water-flow and pressure sensors will be integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, cloud-based platforms and AI-supported controls to optimise irrigation according to crop and field requirements.
The project is planned for implementation over 18 months, beginning with site selection, baseline assessments and system design during the first three months.
Procurement and installation of solar-powered irrigation and groundwater recharge infrastructure are scheduled for months four to eight, followed by sensor installation and integration of IoT and AI-based controls during months seven to ten.
From months 10 to 15, the project will focus on system operation, farmer training and optimisation, enabling participating farms to develop the technical capacity required to operate and maintain the technology.
The KP Agriculture Department, through its Agricultural Engineering and On-Farm Water Management functions, has been identified as the government and technical lead.
Farmers and participating research farms will host and operate the systems, while research institutions and universities will provide technical support and analyse project data.
Technology providers will support the deployment and maintenance of solar power equipment, irrigation infrastructure, sensors and AI-based systems.
The proposed initiative aims to promote efficient use of water resources, support groundwater recharge and improve crop yields while equipping farmers and agricultural professionals with the skills needed to manage modern irrigation technologies.