Impact of Remote Sensing on Irrigation Management in Precision Agriculture

Agricultural irrigation, which accounts for almost 90% of the world's water consumption, is essential to water resource management, especially in the face of climate change. Predicting future demand for irrigation water is imperative for water security. A thorough understanding of these dynamics is needed to guide effective water management strategies. The emergence of precision farming tools marks a fundamental change in farmers’ decision-making. Satellite remote sensing can be used to monitor crop water conditions on a large scale, offering a long-term perspective, enabling agricultural authorities to create customized irrigation programs in response to regional climatic trends. However, the figures reveal alarming problems, such as pressure on water tables, pollution of agricultural waters, increasing use of wastewater, and the proliferation of water-hungry crops. Remote sensing, combined with numerical data, offers a proactive approach to solving these challenges, enabling continuous monitoring of water resources, identifying sources of pollution, and adjusting irrigation practices to minimize water wastage. This approach is emerging as a more sustainable solution in the complex context of climate change.