Precipitation patterns and their spatial and temporal variability are central to agricultural productivity. They determine when and how crops are managed, as well as the intensity of input use, particularly the amount of water required for irrigated crops. In regions like Brandenburg, where the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent through prolonged dry periods, especially in early summer, detailed knowledge of rainfall distribution is essential for sustainable farming. AgroHyd-X explores how advanced radar technologies can be used to detect precipitation at high spatial and temporal resolution, and how this information can support precise, site-specific farm management.
At the core of the project is the deployment and testing of several FURUNO X-band weather radars across Brandenburg. With appropriate data processing, these systems allow for the accurate detection of local rainfall events at a 100 × 100 meter resolution, a significant improvement over conventional C-band radars. The resulting data will be made available in real time via a user-friendly web platform tailored to the needs of agricultural practitioners. The project also investigates how this high-resolution radar data can be integrated into planning tools and models such as the AgroHyd Farmmodel and ISABEL to enhance predictive capacity and practical application.
Through its innovative approach and strong collaboration with farming enterprises, AgroHyd-X lays the foundation for a robust, data-driven decision support system to promote efficient water use under changing climatic conditions. It contributes directly to the objectives of Brandenburg's innovation strategy innoBB 2025, serving as a lighthouse project for digital, climate-resilient agriculture.
The project is jointly coordinated by the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB). Additional partners include the German Weather Service (DWD), as well as the agricultural enterprises Oehnaland Agrargesellschaft mbH and the Teaching and Research Station for Animal Breeding and Husbandry e.V. (LVAT).
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