eLEAF: A simple dashboard with endless possibilities

Satellite-based solutions

Satellite-based solutions for monitoring agriculture and water usage are not groundbreaking, but the new user-friendly dashboard addresses current challenges and will be up and running in just two years. Corné van der Sande details the enhancements this project will eventually bring.

In collaboration with the Tensift Hydraulic Basin Agency and the Regional Office for Agricultural Development of Haouz, the Water Consumption Dashboard can pinpoint excessive agricultural water usage and promote equitable water access. “Managers can use the dashboard to optimise the complex task of integrated water resources management,” explains Van der Sande. “We accurately quantify water consumption, often exceeding the allocation from dams that capture meltwater from the Atlas Mountains.”

Challenges

In Morocco, due to low rainfall (around 300 mm annually), water is also extracted from groundwater, which is often from unauthorised boreholes. “It is by no means the intention of eLEAF to regulate this,” Van der Sande is quick to explain, “but now we can monitor where and when water is extracted, using innovative technology, every five days. The regional water authorities have limited resources, with only two vehicles to patrol a vast area of 26,000 square kilometres, much of which is non-agricultural.”

“Groundwater,” he continues, “is decreasing by several metres each year, indicating serious depletion.” In response to this alarming situation, the government mandated that all water sources in the region must be equipped with metres. Remote sensing data helps authorities register water sources and boreholes, measure water extraction, and model groundwater levels more accurately.

With the application of a simple dashboard, complex time series data on crop biomass development and water usage can be visualised. With a few clicks on a map, even someone with no expertise in the field can see the data for a particular area or a particular agricultural plot, and how much water may have been used. In recent years, drinking water in Marrakech prevailed, and farmers were left without their share of water, because of the severe drought. They could only use rainwater or dig boreholes. And that’s where the dashboard comes in.

Partners

The data used in this project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, operates on both basin and field scales. Together with regional irrigation offices ORMVAH and ABHT and the local engineering firm RESING, technology is adapted to local needs, providing support, and conducting training. Last year Corné van der Sande from eLEAF and Mohamed Aboufirass from RESING officially signed a Partner Agreement between the two companies, providing high-quality satellite data services to Moroccan clients, promoting water sustainability, increasing food production, and protecting the environment.

Despite being scientifically validated by Moroccan universities, remote sensing products remain underused by the government due to limited capacity and a lack of understanding. The Dutch-Moroccan team provides technology and data while empowering local partners to manage implementation and support. This approach leverages local expertise to navigate cultural nuances and practical applications effectively.

Next steps

Morocco is a significant exporter of citrus fruit, olives, dates, and almonds to the Netherlands. Water shortages may have severe consequences for both countries. eLEAF aims to improve the dashboard prototype to such a level that it offers a deep understanding of what is happening at the earth’s surface and can be used globally to make a fair allocation of water and a climate-resilient agricultural sector possible.

Innovation in progress series

Throughout the Partners for Water 2022–2027 programme, we’ll be following several subsidised projects from start to finish. Over the coming years, these projects will share their transformative journeys with you, offering insights into their innovative solutions, collaborative efforts with local partners, and the challenges they face along the way. You’ll discover not only their successes but also the valuable lessons learned through their struggles and setbacks.

Stay tuned and follow their journey through the Partners for Water website. You can search for: ‘Innovation in Progress’ to find the latest updates. You can also visit our LinkedIn page or subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated.