Vlachos (2026) Smart water management for agricultural crops on islands: integrating IoT, machine learning, and circular economy

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Identification

• Journal: Water Practice & Technology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-08
• Authors: Marios Vlachos
• DOI: 10.2166/wpt.2026.440

Research Groups

• Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Mediterranean
• Island Water Management Institute (IWMI)
• Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (CCCS)

Short Summary

This study optimizes water management for agricultural crops on islands using IoT and ML technologies to predict irrigation requirements and promote sustainability. The research investigates the application of circular economy solutions, such as water recycling and desalination, to meet increased water demands.

Objective

• Investigate the potential of IoT and ML in optimizing water management for island agriculture under climate uncertainty

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Island environments with limited water resources
• Temporal Scale: Long-term (seasonal) and short-term (daily/weekly) water management strategies

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Machine Learning algorithms (e.g., Random Forest, Support Vector Machines)
• Data sources: IoT sensors for real-time data collection on soil moisture, temperature, rainfall, and other relevant parameters

Main Results

• Developed a predictive model to estimate irrigation requirements with an accuracy of 85%
• Demonstrated the potential of circular economy solutions (water recycling and desalination) to meet increased water demands with minimal environmental impact

Contributions

• Provided new insights into the application of IoT and ML in optimizing water management for island agriculture under climate uncertainty
• Contributed to the development of sustainable and efficient strategies for securing adequate water resources while promoting sustainability and reducing environmental footprint

Funding

• Project: "IoT-based Water Management for Sustainable Island Agriculture" (funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program)
• Grant Number: 10102023

Citation

@article{Vlachos2026Smart,
  author = {Vlachos, Marios},
  title = {Smart water management for agricultural crops on islands: integrating IoT, machine learning, and circular economy},
  journal = {Water Practice & Technology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.2166/wpt.2026.440},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2026.440}
}