Digital Watershed Monitoring Tool

The Río Frío and Sevilla basins of Magdalena, Colombia, provide access to fresh and irrigation water for approximately 185,000 inhabitants residing in the surrounding municipalities. However, water shortages, inefficient irrigation practices, and inconsistent water availability have led to unsustainable production of cash crops like coffee, banana, and oil palm. To address these challenges, SmartFarming BV, in collaboration with its partners, has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) tool to enhance water governance and communication concerning water demand and supply in the basin.

The DSS tool was created by amalgamating irrigation water demand data collected from agricultural producers in the basins, water monitoring systems to gauge the water flow from various river basins, and weather forecast data. This integrated tool provides valuable insights into weather conditions that can impact water flow in the basins and the water demand of crops during specific periods.

The project, known as ‘The Integrated River Basin Management in the Magdalena region,’ received funding from RVO and seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices while conserving natural resources. Resilience BV and Acacia Water commissioned SmartFarming BV to develop the DSS tool. It’s worth noting that the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality (LNV) commissioned Resilience BV and Acacia Water for this assignment, and subsequently, SmartFarming BV (a part of the Resilience BV network) was commissioned by them. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of partnerships and cooperation in creating sustainable solutions for the future. We take pride in being a part of this team effort to devise an innovative solution that promotes sustainable agriculture practices in Colombia.

To collect producer data for the tool, the ODK Collect App was employed, and the data was stored and managed in the ODK Central Server. The questionnaire was formulated in Microsoft Excel after consulting users and other stakeholders to gather pertinent information. A prototype questionnaire was piloted among selected producers, and their feedback was utilized to refine the tool. The final version of the questionnaire was developed, along with a user manual to assist users in navigating the ODK Collect App while responding to the questions.

Water supply data was sourced from the IDEAM website, and specific water stations in the Magdalena region were identified through research. Stakeholder engagement helped determine the specific data to be included in the dashboard. As for weather forecast data, open weather information was gathered from the Visual Crossing Weather Services website after examining several open weather data sources for weather information and accuracy. Stakeholders were consulted on the type of weather data to be incorporated into the dashboard.

The development of the DSS Tool involved extensive research, stakeholder engagement, field testing, feedback, and evaluation by the tool development team. User requirements and functionality specifications were gathered, and a prototype dashboard featuring various data sources was presented to project stakeholders for their input. Subsequently, the tool was further developed to incorporate additional user requirements, thereby improving user navigation and content. An administrator manual in the form of a presentation and video was created to guide users on how to navigate and update the DSS Tool with current data from the integrated data sources.

SmartFarming BV remains committed to promoting sustainable agricultural practices and conserving natural resources. The development of the DSS tool for ‘The Integrated River Basin Management’ project in the Magdalena region is a significant step towards achieving this objective. SmartFarming BV is dedicated to continuing its support for water governance in the Magdalena region by regularly updating and maintaining the DSS tool and enhancing it with new data sources and additional functionalities.