Over the past year, a consortium of FutureWater (NL), Practica (NL), and the Climate Resilience Research Centre (Nepal) has been conducting a feasibility study on the Smart Sprayer in Nepal, addressing water scarcity in the mid-hills (Syangja district).

By combining high application uniformity with tailored irrigation advice, the system aims to reduce water use, increase yields, and prevent nutrient leaching. It integrates a low-pressure mini-pivot (Sprayer) with a smart advisory service via SMS and WhatsApp (Croptimal), supported by the Partners for Water programme (RVO).

 The study is progressing well. The 10 participating farmers are currently harvesting their winter crops, with promising early results. Farmers report improved ease of use, water efficiency, and crop performance (see summary in the bar chart below). 

 Local municipalities are preparing to subsidize the Smart Sprayer in the coming financial year, while the Agricultural Knowledge Centre has already procured systems for further testing. This confirms strong local interest and scaling potential. 

 We are now preparing a pilot involving 50–100 farmers and are exploring financial mechanisms and partnerships to enable this next phase. We welcome any ideas or connections that could support this effort. 

 An interim project video of the Smart Sprayer is available on YouTube, and additional information on both the Sprayer and Croptimal is found in the factsheet.