INDUSTRY NEWS
LEFT : Pressure sensors on field valves .
ABOVE : Soil moisture monitoring probes .
RIGHT : Weather station .
From page 7 You can read more about ofi ’ s sustainability goals in its Almond Trail plan . Those using the tool in ofi ’ s orchards have positive feedback about the benefits . Lance Dale , Irrigation Controller at ofi , said : “ It saves time , makes informed and accurate decision-making easier and boosts confidence .” Pierre Morne Janse van Rensburg , General Manager Almond Operations for the Australia orchards , who oversaw the roll-out of the tool said : “ We ’ re resolutely focused on water efficiency and getting to ‘ more crop per drop ’. Customers may use our almonds in a whole variety of ways , from plant-based dairy alternatives , to protein powders to snacks . " With this tool we are helping them minimise the water footprint of their products . “ This project has invested in upgrading the irrigation monitoring hardware in our orchards , building the communication network to transfer real-time data and a comprehensive , visual dashboard to make the best irrigation decision-making simple . " We ’ re confident this will help save more precious water while we deliver year-round fresh almonds to customers worldwide .” The ofi team will continue to explore how to improve their irrigation techniques in almond orchards . And while the Irrigation Decision Support tool was designed specifically for use in Australia , the team believes there ’ s potential for it to be used in other parts of the ofi business as well .
Irrigation data from orchards is centralised in a visual dashboard , helping irrgation teams identify priority issues across the orchards .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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