“Monitoring irrigation systems is very time-consuming these days. Farmers need to be on site to detect anomalies. We want to make their lives easier,” explains Nicolas Cavalier of Telaqua. The company has developed a system which allows farmers to monitor, program and optimize their irrigation networks using connected sensors and one app.
“By measuring the pressure on key locations of the irrigation system, we can assure farmers that the irrigation is proceeding as planned. If an anomaly is detected, they are automatically informed. It is very efficient. One of our clients who has a farm of 25 hectares used to waste 14 hours a week opening his valves manually to be certain, and we can make him save all this time.”
An irrigation system that does not work properly can have huge financial consequences. “A clogged filter that is not detected can ruin part of the harvest. One of our clients already lost 15,000 to 20,000 euros [17,827 to 23,769 USD] in the past, because of failed irrigation. In order to avoid this, he now installs our system each year.”
The system adapts to any irrigation device. “Anyone in the world can use it, and very quickly too. At the moment, we have clients in Chile, Portugal, Spain, Ivory Coast and France. Most of our clients work in arboriculture and vegetable production.”
Pioneer
Telaqua is a pioneer in the measurement of pressure in irrigation systems. “There is no one on this market,” explains Nicolas. “The idea was born in Chile, where the father of one of the founders worked as an irrigation consultant. He had noticed that farmers were almost slaves of their irrigation systems in order to check that everything was going well. There was nothing to assist them. He therefore teamed up with two other people to find a solution, which led to the creation of Telaqua in 2018.
Projects
For 2021, Telaqua is working on two new projects. First, there is the launch of MANO, the first connected pressure gauge. In less than 5 minutes, it can be installed on key locations of an irrigation system. It allows farmers to see how the irrigation is proceeding without having to go anywhere, only by using their computer or smartphone. All the data is saved. It is very interesting for those who follow HEV-type approaches and are very careful about their water consumption.”
Telaqua is also launching a free application to save all the irrigation data. This system is open to everyone, even those who are not clients.
“Simply efficient is our motto. If something is simple and efficient, it fits our DNA. If it is complicated, it does not fit,” explains Nicolas Cavalier. “We develop systems which, by their extreme simplicity, can change the lives of our clients.”
For more information:
Telaqua
virginie.scoarnec@telaqua.com
www.telaqua.com