R&D highlights edition 2019

Water and subsoil resources I n 2018, the Farmers App (DEL-082) project developed a real- time forecasting system for crop production, allowing water authorities, farmers and insurers to improve their services and possibly reduce costs. The system has been successfully finalised and the possibilities have been demonstrated for two pilot areas - the areas managed by the Aa & Maas and Vechtstromen water authorities - by comparing model outcomes and in situ measurements for a wet (2016), ‘normal’ (2017), and dry (2018) season. The models in this system, with FEWS in the background, draw on the latest developments for the Netherlands relating to evapotranspiration using the WOFOST-METASWAP coupling. An app has been developed for Achmea clients to assess how suitable the data are for practical use. The results from this project are: • Despite the availability of a number of data services, farmers need a system that can transform multiple data sources (includingmonitoring data andmodel results) into information that the farmers can use to optimise their operations. • The connection between the coupled iMODFLOW-MetaSWAP- WOFOST models and Delft-FEWS provides a realistic historical simulation of daily output based on observed meteorological data, and forecasts for a number of hydrological and crop growth parameters. • Themodel results for both soil moisture and groundwater levels for the Aa &Maas pilot area provide a good indication of trends at most of the locations. In the Vechtstromen model, however, some locations were either too wet or too dry in the models. During the project, farmers, insurance companies and water authorities identified several domains where information can add value for water authorities and farmers for decision-making now and in the future: • sprinkling/managing available water to prevent water stress but also (as was seen last season) to cool the surface; • responsible use of pesticides: the right moment, right place and right quantity; • optimal harvest timing and storage conditions for good control in the chain from farmer to processor (or consumer); • managing the future more than one season ahead for long- term planning and investments; • using plot-level observations and data/machine data to improve the accuracy of model outputs; • harvest prediction for several widely-used crops; • supporting management decisions by adding what-if scenarios for different weather and crop conditions. This will support decision-making about specific local circumstances or conditions; • creating features to share data with the water authorities (about required water levels) and visualise those data. Feedback from the farmers showed that farmers want to improve feedback to water authorities about water levels and water use. The app can facilitate two-way communications; • adding financial data (futures pricing) and facilitating financial decision-making. Supporting farm economics in combination with resource planning and harvest forecasts. • “This project was executed with funding from the TKI programme and financial contributions from Achmea (Agro), and the water authorities Aa & Maas and Vechtstromen. Deltares is working with Wageningen on the link with water and food. The app has been developed by Milan Innovincy as strategic partner on technological innovation for Achmea.”. Contact: Edwin Snippen, Edwin.Snippen@deltares.nl , t +31 (0)6 5234 5304 Further reading : https://grow-with-the-flow.firebaseapp.com/map (developed for Chrome) GROWWITH THE FLOW: PREDICTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CROP AND YIELDS FOR FARMERS The goal of this project was to develop a real-time forecasting system for crop production that allows water authorities, farmers and insurers to improve their services and possibly reduce costs. The setup of both the Aa & Maas and Vechtstromen models in the “Grow with the Flow” operational system has generated promising initial results. The value of the systemwas demonstrated to farmers by comparing model results withmeasurements in the field during the growing season. 35 R&D Highlights 2019