The FARMWISE project operates at the intersection of agriculture, water management, and climate change, addressing challenges that threaten Europe’s environmental health and food security. Agriculture is a major consumer of water and contributes to pollution through nutrient runoff, leading to eutrophication and habitat degradation. Climate change intensifies these pressures through more frequent droughts and floods. In this context, sustainable and resilient water management practices are urgently required.
FARMWISE develops socio-technical solutions that combine advanced data science with participatory governance. It integrates AI-driven modelling and decision support with insights into social, economic, and political systems. The project tests 11 agricultural innovations across eight diverse case study regions representing different climates, farming systems, and regulatory contexts. This ensures scientifically robust, relevant, and scalable solutions.
Objectives are to:
• Develop a FAIR-compliant data infrastructure unifying agricultural, hydrological, and climate data.
• Build and validate AI and physics-based models simulating management and climate scenarios.
• Co-create governance strategies through stakeholder engagement and systems thinking.
• Empower local actors with training in systems thinking and facilitation.
• Deliver AI-powered decision support tools integrating environmental, socio-economic, and policy data.
Integration of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)
FARMWISE embeds SSH as a core pillar, recognising water management as a social as well as technical challenge. WP1 uses tools such as the COSMIC platform, stakeholder mapping, participatory workshops, and governance analysis to align technologies with real-world needs. By identifying policy barriers and behavioural drivers, and fostering dialogue, the project ensures outputs are socially robust, ethically sound, and more likely to be adopted.
Pathway to Impact
Impact is designed to scale from local innovation testing to systemic change. Solutions validated in case studies generate insights transferred to policy recommendations and decision-support tools. Contributions align with the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, EU Biodiversity Strategy, and Water Framework Directive. Environmental benefits include cleaner water and resilient ecosystems, while economic benefits support farm sustainability. Societally, FARMWISE strengthens collaborative water governance and bridges science, policy, and practice.
