León accelerates the digital revolution of irrigation with more than four million in investment from PERTE

The digital transformation of the León countryside is now a reality. Over the past few months, numerous irrigation communities in the province have been finalizing the implementation of advanced technological solutions funded through the first call for proposals of the PERTE program for Digitalization of the Water Cycle , within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan promoted by the European Union through Next Generation EU funds.

The result is one of the largest joint irrigation modernization projects developed in León in recent years: more than 39,000 hectares modernized and a total investment of 4.6 million euros to implement sensors, cameras, rain gauges, lysimeters, digital platforms, irrigation automation systems, meteorological systems and smart tools capable of optimizing the use of water and energy in the field in eight irrigation communities.

Digitalization has thus become a key tool for addressing some of the major challenges facing agriculture today: sustainability, water efficiency, energy saving, and adaptation to climate change.

Technology to produce more with less water

The actions carried out in the various irrigation communities have allowed for the incorporation of technologies characteristic of Agriculture 4.0. Thanks to these technologies, farmers can monitor soil conditions, crop water requirements, and weather patterns in real time, enabling them to adjust irrigation with much greater precision. Among the implemented solutions are soil moisture probes, connected weather stations, remote control and automation systems, GIS platforms for land management, monitoring of water return flows to public waterways, and data-driven decision support tools.

In addition to improving irrigation efficiency, these technologies allow for reduced energy expenditure, decreased use of fertilizers and plant protection products, and minimized environmental impact of agricultural activity.

One of the most ambitious projects has been the one developed by the General Irrigation Community of the Páramo Canal, which has carried out works worth €1,206,007 across more than 17,300 hectares distributed throughout the Páramo Leonés region . The community has installed soil moisture sensors, weather stations, water quality and flow control systems, and new digital platforms aimed at improving water management. The project benefits hundreds of farmers in municipalities such as Santa María del Páramo, Bustillo del Páramo, Villazala, and Valdevimbre, where crops like corn and beans have significant economic importance.
Another major project has been carried out by the Villadangos Canal Irrigation Community, which has invested €829,149.87 to modernize 6,000 hectares of irrigated land farmed by some 800 farmers. The project has incorporated automation and remote management systems, crop monitoring, soil moisture sensors, and advanced meteorological tools to optimize water use and reduce energy consumption.

The Páramo Medio Irrigation Community has carried out projects worth €572,292.80 across more than 5,600 hectares. The improvements include automation systems, crop monitoring, GIS platforms, and digital tools for water and energy management.

The Castañón Canal Irrigation Community has also opted for digitalization through an investment of 505,325.93 euros allocated to sensors, meteorological systems and intelligent irrigation management platforms in some 4,200 hectares.

For its part, the Villares High Canal Irrigation Community has invested 474,487.46 euros in new digital tools, monitoring systems and sensors to optimize irrigation on its 2,400 hectares of agricultural land.

Digitalization has also reached smaller communities with significant agricultural activity. For example, the Presa Cerrajera Irrigation Community has implemented a €306,910.51 project to introduce automation, crop monitoring, and water quality control across more than 1,800 hectares. Similarly, the Presa de la Tierra Irrigation Community has carried out projects valued at €160,343.06 focused on digital land management, soil moisture sensors, and remote control systems to improve the efficiency of over 1,700 hectares of irrigated land.

A decisive step towards the agriculture of the future

Beyond the figures, all these projects reflect the profound technological transformation underway in irrigation in León. The use of real-time data, digital platforms, and smart tools allows irrigation communities to make more precise decisions, reduce costs, and move toward more sustainable production models. The digital modernization of irrigation not only improves the competitiveness of the agricultural sector but also helps protect water resources, reduce stress on watersheds, and advance toward a more resilient agriculture in the face of climate change.

With these actions, León positions itself as one of the leading provinces in the application of smart technologies to irrigation, consolidating a more efficient, innovative agricultural model prepared to face the challenges of the future.