Written by Synelixis
As climate variability intensifies and water becomes increasingly scarce, the ability to monitor field conditions in real time has become essential for sustainable agriculture. Within the GEORGIA project, SynField, an advanced IoT-based smart sensing platform developed by Synelixis, plays a central role in enabling data-driven and climate-resilient farming. Deployed across all GEORGIA pilot sites, SynField and its family of complementary devices provide continuous, high-accuracy measurements of soil, weather, and irrigation conditions. This real-time information not only optimises water and energy use but also supports the project’s wider digital ecosystem, making SynField a cornerstone of GEORGIA’s transition toward smarter and more efficient agricultural practices.
The SynField ecosystem
SynField is designed as a comprehensive hardware-and-software platform for precision agriculture. It combines robust field-installed monitoring units with cloud-based analytics, secure communication technologies, and user-friendly web and mobile interfaces. Operating since 2013 and now deployed internationally, SynField offers an integrated approach to environmental monitoring, irrigation optimisation, and automated decision support.
The SynField digital ecosystem includes:
- the SynField devices (also called nodes), which record the sensor readings and control the automations, such as valves, installed in each field. Each SynField device is connected to the cloud platform.
- the SynField cloud platform, where the user can monitor sensors, control actuators, configure the device, manage irrigation rules and notifications, monitor and export historical data and reports, as well as many other functions.
- the SynField application a simplified and user-friendly application for android/iOS mobile devices, where user can easily and quickly monitor and control the various sensors and automations.
To meet the diverse needs of modern agricultural systems, SynField offers a comprehensive range of products:
- SynField Head Nodes (X3, X5): Energy-autonomous devices with integrated solar panel for monitoring and remote control of actuators.
- SynOdos: A solar-powered wireless peripheral device for monitoring and control. It connects via LoRa to a SynField node, which acts as its gateway, enabling efficient and cost-effective networking across large farms.
- SynNano: A wireless peripheral node for monitoring and remote control, powered by a high-capacity integrated battery. It extends the SynField wireless network and can even be installed underground.
- SynPump: An innovative solution, for the management and automated control of the water from a shared drilling site.
- SynRelay: A multi-purpose relay module for controlling irrigation valves, fertigation systems, and other agricultural equipment.
- SynAir: An air-quality monitoring device capable of measuring and detecting a wide range of gas characteristics.
- SynWater: A water-quality monitoring device capable of measuring key water quality parameters.
Together, these devices form a cohesive digital ecosystem that supports a wide range of monitoring scenarios across GEORGIA’s pilot sites.
Supported sensors and real-time measurements in GEORGIA
SynField is compatible with a broad set of high-precision sensors, allowing flexible configurations tailored to each pilot’s needs. Across the GEORGIA sites, the platform typically monitors:
- Soil moisture at multiple depths.
- Soil temperature and electrical conductivity.
- Air temperature and relative humidity.
- Wind speed and direction.
- Rainfall and solar radiation.
- Leaf wetness and canopy conditions.
- Water pressure, flow rate, and tank levels.
- Air quality characteristics
- Water quality characteristics
These measurements create a detailed and continuous overview of field conditions, enabling farmers and researchers to track environmental changes, predict irrigation needs, and prevent plant stress.
Why sensors matter
High-quality sensors are fundamental to GEORGIA’s broader mission. Continuous sensing allows irrigation decisions to shift from fixed schedules to genuine, data-driven management. This leads to:
- More precise irrigation based on actual field conditions.
- Significant water savings, with SynField deployments showing reductions of up to 44 percent.
- Improved crop protection through early detection of water stress.
- More efficient energy use in pumping and irrigation equipment.
- Better understanding of field behaviour under climate variability.
Without accurate sensor data, none of the advanced modelling, automation, or sustainability assessments in GEORGIA would be possible.
SynField’s contribution to the GEORGIA pilots
SynField is directly integrated into GEORGIA’s seven pilot activities, which demonstrate how innovative digital technologies can transform agricultural water management across diverse environments. The pilots combine smart irrigation systems, digital decision-support tools, and the use of alternative and recycled water sources to showcase practical solutions for creating more resilient farming systems.
By delivering continuous, high-accuracy data across all pilot locations, SynField serves as the monitoring backbone of these demonstration sites. Its sensing infrastructure supports precise irrigation scheduling, validates innovative water-use strategies, and ensures that real-world conditions are captured accurately. This strengthens GEORGIA’s mission to improve water efficiency, support farmers facing climate challenges, and promote sustainable agricultural practices across Europe.
Enabling GEORGIA’s Digital Twin and sustainability assessments
Beyond immediate field-level benefits, SynField provides essential data inputs for several analytical components of the GEORGIA project. These include:
- Development and calibration of the Crop Digital Twin.
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC).
- Evaluation of the water-energy nexus.
- Environmental impact monitoring across all pilots.
The reliability and granularity of SynField’s sensor data ensure that GEORGIA’s models, forecasting tools, and sustainability assessments are grounded in accurate field information.
Looking ahead
As farms face increasing pressures from drought, heat, and shifting weather patterns, technologies like SynField will play an increasingly important role in supporting agricultural resilience. Through its deployment across GEORGIA’s pilot sites, SynField demonstrates how smart sensing, IoT automation, and real-time environmental intelligence can fundamentally improve water management and support the transition to climate-smart agriculture.
