An app developed by Innocent Drinks, makers of natural fruit drinks, has helped Spanish farmers reduce water by up to 40 percent. Six years ago, Innocent Drinks, in partnership with farmers and the University of Cordoba, began four years of on-farm research examining a variety of irrigation equipment and water management approaches based on the different soil types, plant varieties and climate conditions. The result was Irri-fresa: an app that calculates optimum daily irrigation times. Participating farmers have cut water use by up to 40 percent, saving 1.7 billion litres in 2015. Free workshops and a water blog run by the University of Cordoba made the case that farmers would save on energy, fertiliser and labour costs by reducing their water use.
