Virtual irrigation academy

This project aims to create viable and sustainable business models to supply water monitoring tools to farmers with a Virtual Irrigation Academy (VIA) in Pakistan. The deployment of soil moisture sensors in the irrigated farming sector will not only help farmers reduce water consumption and irrigation costs but also improve production and profitability. This will also enable expansion beyond current project sites and provide the data necessary to effectively inform water management decisions at scheme, province and national levels. Overall, this project forms the basis of the feasibility study for operating a VIA production facility in Pakistan. The development of a salt monitoring Chameleon Card will be progressed based on findings from existing projects as well.

Evidence and Lessons from the Virtual Irrigation Academy for Improving the Sustainability of Scaling through Innovative Business Models

This project will identify novel approaches and provide insights to impact pathways, scaling and viable business models and strategies to benefit the Virtual Irrigation Academy (VIA) which focuses on developing and suppling affordable water sensing tools and providing water data to empower smallholder farmers and their broader operating environment in low to medium income countries. The project will also provide insights to support similar organizations seeking to maximize development impact, including public development/financing institutions, private sector, water systems service providers and entrepreneurs. Although the intention is for the insights to be broadly useful in scaling innovation, there is a particular focus on those innovations that have been supported by public development finance and are seeking alternative financing models.