FATIMA

FArming Tools for external nutrient Inputs and water Management

FATIMA addresses effective and efficient monitoring and management of agricultural resources to achieve optimum crop yield and quality in a sustainable environment. It covers both ends of the scale relevant for food production, viz., precision farming and the perspective of a sustainable agriculture in the context of integrated agri-environment management. FATIMA aims at developing innovative and new farm capacities that help the intensive farm sector optimize their external input (nutrients, water) management and use, with the vision of bridging sustainable crop production and fair economic competitiveness.

The comprehensive strategy developed in the framework of FATIMA covers five interconnected levels:

• A modular technology package (based on the integration of Earth observation and wireless sensor networks into a webGIS),
• A field work package (exploring options of improving soil and input management),
• A toolset for multi-actor participatory processes,
• An integrated multi-scale economic analysis framework and
• An umbrella policy analysis set based on indicator-, accounting- and footprint approach.

FATIMA addresses and works with user communities (farmers, managers, decision makers in the farm and agribusiness sector) at scales ranging from farm, over irrigation scheme or aquifer, to river basins. It will provide them with maps of water and fertilizer requirements (to feed into precision farming machinery), crop water consumption and a range of further products for sustainable cropping management supported with innovative water-energy footprint frameworks. All information will be integrated in leading edge participatory spatial online decision-support systems.