The consequences of climate change have made the already demanding cultivation more complex, costly and riskier. Irregular rainfall and hailstorms, as well as rising temperatures, reduce the harvest amount and quality of the grapes.

With reliable data encountering weather extremes

The Fairtrade producer network Asia and Pacific (NAPP) launched a pilot project to help farmers access to more reliable weather forecasts that they can better plan the cultivation process and take precautions if necessary: micro-air stations and soil sensors were provided with over 50 Fairtrade-certified wine farmers. The participating farmers were technically trained and then received real-time reports on microclimate, disease and pest forecasts as well as information on soil moisture, irrigation and fertilizer management directly on their smartphones via a mobile app.

Tailor-made irrigation.

Based on daily soil moisture data, farmers can precisely irrigate their land today, which led to a 25 to 30 percent reduction in water consumption. Wine-growing Pradip Ashok Kawale reports: “I used to water the farm according to my own ideas and I was not aware that I unwittingly watered my plants either excessively much or too little. Due to the soil moisture indicators and watering warnings in the mobile app, I am now able to perform precise watering. This saves not only water but also electricity for the pumps and time.”

Preventing plant diseases

Early warning messages on pests and diseases have become a safety net for farmers. With the app notifications, they can now use preventable protections to save the harvest at the right time and to keep the plants healthy in the long term. “In November 2022, I received a rain weather warning, along with an increased risk of mildew and the recommendation for a preventive means,” explains Sanjay Niv rutti Sangle from Niphad Farmers Producer Company. “Since I took immediate action because of the warning, my plants remained healthy while those of my neighbours were affected by the mildew.”

Experience meets technology

Mobile app notifications and access to digital tools have raised farmers' awareness. Now they can make decisions based on their agricultural experience and daily inspections as well as on reliable technical data. This also confirms the grape producer Ashok Pandurang Jadhav: “The technology is extremely user-friendly, very easy to understand and follow. Now I can systematically manage my farm and am not solely dependent on pesticide and fertilizer traders for plant protection.”

The improved access to weather information and digital tools helps the wine farmers in Nashik today to plan better cultivation and harvest and to respond to impending risks at an early stage. All this makes wine growing in the region more sustainable and resilient to climate impacts.