What challenges did WaterForce face before AI implementation?

Facing increased water usage in agriculture, making up 70% of the world's consumption High electricity costs for irrigation systems Lack of precision in irrigation leading to higher resource wastage Need for climate-resilient agricultural practices

What was the impact of the AI solution?

Reduced water consumption by 30% Cut electricity costs by 50% Enabled better control over irrigation amidst climate variability Optimized resource usage to achieve sustainable farming

Source

MicrosoftLive source

WaterForce transforms irrigation practices in agriculture

Use case typeIrrigation optimizationUpdated Jun 13, 2026

WaterForce, in partnership with Microsoft and Schneider Electric, developed SCADAFarm—a smart irrigation solution. It integrates weather data, reservoir levels, and electricity prices to guide optimal irrigation practices. The system enables farmers to manage irrigation pivots efficiently via desktop or mobile devices, helping them align equipment against wind damage or schedule water usage during cheaper energy times. By utilizing SCADAFarm's data-driven approach, farmers reduced water consumption by 30% and electricity costs by 50%. This initiative demonstrates advanced solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Organization: WaterForce
Industry: Agriculture
Location: New Zealand
Published: July 2024

Reported outcomes

−50%

costCost savings

−30%quantified impact

Strategic outcomes

New product / capabilityDeveloped smart irrigation solutionBetter decisions & insightIntegrated data for irrigation decisionsSpeed & agilityEnabled remote irrigation managementSustainability & ESGOptimized resource use for sustainable farming

Catalog median for cost savings deployments: −45% across 345 reported metrics. Compare benchmarks →

Primary read

Use case focus

Showing 2 of 2

1smart irrigation
2resource optimization

Facing increased water usage in agriculture, making up 70% of the world's consumption
High electricity costs for irrigation systems
Lack of precision in irrigation leading to higher resource wastage
Need for climate-resilient agricultural practices

Developed SCADAFarm using Microsoft Azure and IoT technologies
Integrated weather data, reservoir levels, and electricity prices into smart irrigation
Enabled remote operation through desktop and mobile access
Trained farmers on optimal farming practices using analytics

Technologies

Azure IoT Azure AI

Reduced water consumption by 30%
Cut electricity costs by 50%
Enabled better control over irrigation amidst climate variability
Optimized resource usage to achieve sustainable farming

Architecture

Weather data overlays farms to predict irrigation needs and avoid wind damage, while reservoir levels and electricity prices guide water scheduling. Using soil monitors, SCADAFarm tracks saturation zones 24/7, enabling data-driven irrigation through IoT and cloud technologies.

Implementation partners1

Schneider Electric

Sources & evidence2

Live sourceStill referenced

The case's original source is still reachable.