How can farmers know whether the next rainfall will fall on their own fields or just their neighbour’s? A precise answer to this question is crucial for resource-efficient irrigation. With the installation of the first of two high-resolution weather radars as part of the AgroHyd-X project in Wünsdorf, Brandenburg is taking a major step towards data-driven agriculture.
Farmers in a region such as Brandenburg feel the effects of climate change particularly keenly. Prolonged dry spells and sandy soils, which are poor at retaining water, make every drop of rain precious. Accurate information on the spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation is therefore essential for sustainable agriculture. It forms the basis for planning targeted irrigation measures and using the valuable resource of water as efficiently as possible.
The radar installed in Wünsdorf in March 2026 is the first of two planned systems for the project. It is a modern FURUNO X-band radar, developed specifically for agricultural applications. Its strength lies in its extremely high resolution: it records precipitation events at a resolution of 100 by 100 metres. This makes it possible to detect even small-scale thunderstorm cells or rain showers that are often overlooked by large-scale weather monitoring networks. Its location on an existing radio mast ensures an unobstructed field of view and thus high data quality. With the successful installation, the calibration and trial operation phase now begins.
However, the raw radar data alone is of little use to farmers. That is why we at ATB are contributing our expertise in the data-driven evaluation of farming systems. Our aim: to integrate the high-resolution precipitation data into practical models such as the AgroHyd Farmmodel, in order to develop a standardised and reliable method for assessing and optimising water use efficiency directly in the field. In this way, we translate innovative measurement technology into concrete recommendations for action towards more sustainable agriculture.
To ensure practical development, researchers from ATB and GFZ work closely with key partners such as the German Weather Service (DWD). Cooperation with agricultural businesses such as Oehnaland Agrargesellschaft mbH and the Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Tierzucht und Tierhaltung e. V. (LVAT) ensures that the digital tools developed meet the actual needs of farmers. In addition to the radar, ATB is installing further measuring systems at the partner farms to record open-field precipitation, crop canopy precipitation and soil moisture.
Background
The AgroHyd-X joint project aims to optimise water use in agriculture through innovative, regional precipitation monitoring. It is jointly coordinated by the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB). The installation of the first radar in Wünsdorf took place on 5 March 2026. As part of the State of Brandenburg’s innovation strategy (innoBB 2025), the project is funded as a flagship initiative for digital and water-sensitive agriculture by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg with funding from the European Union – European Regional Development Fund.