The Department of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has revealed at the Forum of Innovative Agricultural Regions of Expo AgriTech the Agricultural Information System of Murcia (SIAM). This tool allows farmers to accurately estimate the irrigation needs of their crops and anticipate the appearance of pests and diseases. The system, coordinated by the Murcian Institute for Research and Agricultural and Environmental Development (Imida), is based on a network of 55 agrometeorological stations that supply data in real time.
The director of Imida, Andrés Martínez Bastida, detailed the practical uses of this platform during his appearance at the forum held in Málaga, where he emphasized its role as support for decision-making on the efficient use of water and the scheduling of phytosanitary treatments. Currently, SIAM has more than 2,400 registered users and in 2025 it accumulated 7.5 million queries.
In his presentation, Martínez Bastida also explained the joint use of satellite images, sensors installed in the soil, and models based on artificial intelligence to determine the water needs and nutritional status of agricultural plots. This set of technologies facilitates continuous monitoring of crops and allows irrigation to be adjusted with greater accuracy.
More resistant varieties and support for generational renewal
In the field of plant genetic improvement, the person responsible for Imida detailed the lines of work co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (Feder), aimed at obtaining varieties better adapted to the climate and with greater resistance to pests and diseases.
"Thanks to European and regional funding, we are making progress in obtaining varieties that are more resistant to water stress, soil salinity, and high temperatures," he said.
Martínez Bastida also linked the implementation of new technologies on farms with generational renewal in the countryside. "New generations of farmers demand a competitive sector, highly technologized and supported by data," he said.