Saudi National Water Digital Twin
An AI-powered unified view of water for Vision 2030.
Durra.ai unifies satellite, sensor, weather, and agronomy data into a single intelligent platform—helping Saudi Arabia monitor, model, and optimize national water use.
A Nation Cannot Manage What It Cannot See
Saudi Arabia faces one of the world's highest levels of water stress. Agriculture consumes over 80% of the Kingdom's freshwater—drawn from non-renewable aquifers and energy-intensive desalination plants. Yet multiple ministries, farms, and regions operate on separate systems with fragmented visibility of water use, irrigation efficiency, and future needs.
Durra.ai solves this by providing:
- A unified national view of water consumption
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Real-time irrigation efficiency monitoring across all farms
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AI-driven forecasting of crop water demand
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Digital Twin–based scenario planning for policymakers
Global Digital Twins Prove the Value
Water management systems in Singapore, the EU, and the US have achieved 15–40% improvements in efficiency and forecasting accuracy.
Durra.ai brings this capability to Saudi Arabia—purpose-built for desert agriculture and Vision 2030 goals.
Our Vision: An Integrated National Water Intelligence Layer
A single platform where ministries, farmers, utilities, and research institutions see the same truth—live, granular, and predictive.
With Durra.ai, Saudi Arabia will:
- Understand national water use in real time
- Detect irrigation inefficiencies across regions
- Forecast water demand months ahead
- Support climate resilience strategies
- Plan smarter infrastructure investments
- Reduce agricultural water consumption sustainably
Technology: How the Platform Works
Satellite Intelligence
We analyze multispectral satellite imagery to assess crop health, evapotranspiration (ETo), vegetation indices (NDVI, NDMI), and field-level water demand.
IoT Sensor Integration
Soil moisture, pump flow, pressure, and weather sensors feed real-time data, revealing mismatches between planned and actual irrigation.
Weather & Climate Models
Local weather stations and global climate datasets model short- and long-term irrigation needs using the proven FAO-56 crop-water framework.
AI Fusion Engine
Durra.ai blends all inputs—satellite, IoT, weather, agronomy—using advanced machine learning (LSTM forecasting, XGBoost optimization, Kalman filtering) to create one unified prediction engine that highlights risks, anomalies, and optimization opportunities.
Digital Twin Simulation
The system visualizes past, current, and future water conditions across Saudi Arabia through interactive map layers, dashboards, and "what-if" scenario models.
The Result
Actionable insights for ministries, regulators, farmers, and sustainability leaders.
Features: All Your Water Intelligence in One Place
National Water Map
Live overview of water consumption by region, crop type, and individual field.
Farm-Level Dashboards
Track soil moisture, crop stress indicators, irrigation cycles, and pump performance in real time.
Water Efficiency Scoring
AI-generated scores for farms and regions showing exactly where water is being wasted—and how to fix it.
Forecasting & Scenario Planning
Predictive models for future water demand under different weather patterns, crop rotations, and policy scenarios.
AI Recommendations
Automated, crop-specific irrigation advice: the right amount of water, at the right time, for every field.
Research-Grade Data Layers
High-quality datasets accessible to academics, ministries, and sustainability teams for long-term planning.
Scientific Foundation of Durra.ai
Durra.ai applies AI and open IoT to transform irrigation from a habit to a science, ensuring every crop receives the right amount of water at the right time. The platform brings scientific precision to irrigation by analysing weather, soil, and crop data to determine the exact irrigation depth and timing for each field. It can automate existing pumps and valves through hardware-independent, open-protocol controllers.
The platform is grounded in the FAO-56 crop-water model, which defines irrigation need as:
where ETo (reference evapotranspiration) is derived from local weather using the Penman–Monteith equation, and Kc adjusts dynamically according to crop type and growth stage.
These calculations are continuously refined using satellite imagery (NDVI, NDMI) and on-farm IoT sensor data, ensuring every irrigation event delivers the right amount of water at the right time, protecting yields, lowering inputs, and conserving groundwater.
Impact & Benefits
Water Savings
Reduce irrigation volumes by 20–40% using AI-driven, crop-specific recommendations.
Yield Gains
Increase crop productivity by 20–30% through optimized irrigation and stress reduction.
Cost Efficiency & ROI
Lower pumping and fertilizer expenses; software-only solution keeps adoption affordable.
Energy & Environmental Benefits
Cut electricity/fuel usage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and limit runoff and soil degradation.
National Data Asset
Build a Saudi-specific dataset with each irrigation cycle to support long-term water and food security planning.
AI-Driven Gains
Durra.ai’s AI-powered irrigation improves both efficiency and profitability across the farm system.
Yield Consistency
Gain of 5–10%
AI forecasts crop-water demand and automatically adjusts irrigation timing. This keeps plants healthier and ensures more reliable harvests season after season.
Water Efficiency
Increase of up to 40%
Using the FAO-56 model combined with real-time IoT data, the system optimises every irrigation event so more water reaches the root zone and less is wasted.
Energy Use
Reduction of 25–35%
Smart scheduling shortens pump cycles and prevents over-operation. The result is lower energy consumption, reduced fuel cost, and a smaller carbon footprint.
Fertiliser Retention
Improvement of 15–25%
AI maintains ideal soil-moisture balance, preventing nutrient leaching and protecting soil health for stronger, long-term yields.
Compound Outcome
Profitability Improved by 20–25%
Together, these gains reduce resource waste and environmental impact while increasing overall farm efficiency and financial returns.
Why Durra.ai is Different
Plant-Level Precision
Not zone-based estimates—actual plant-level water needs updated continuously.
Superior Predictive Accuracy
Targeting >95% accuracy using advanced AI models vs. industry standard ~80%.
Integrated Data Sources
Combines satellite, IoT, weather, farmer input, and national water systems for complete visibility.
Intuitive User Experience
Arabic-first, voice-enabled interface designed for rapid adoption by local farmers—no complex training required.
Software-Led & Scalable
Hardware-independent, works with existing pumps and valves, integrates across the full water cycle.
Durra.ai vs. Industry Standard
Expertise Backed by Years of Industry Projects
Durra.ai builds on years of expertise in agri-tech consulting and digital transformation. Our team has contributed to projects across the region.
Market Opportunity & Adoption
Saudi Arabia
The serviceable market covers around 500,000 hectares of high-value crops, representing a near-term value of $200M.
MENA & GCC Expansion
Over 5 million hectares of farmland could benefit within five years, with potential market value exceeding $1B.
Adoption Strategy
- Farmer-first Onboarding: Easy-to-use interface and dedicated Farmer Success Team.
- Agribusiness Pilots: Partner with large-scale producers to validate technology at scale.
- Agency Partnerships: Integrate with national bodies to enable a full intelligence layer.
Our Roadmap: From Pilot to National Platform
Phase 1 — Core Data Integration (2025)
Satellite imagery, IoT sensors, weather data, agronomy datasets. Controlled pilot trials achieving 20–40% water savings and 20–30% yield gains.
Phase 2 — Regional Pilots (2026-2027)
Live testing with 20+ Saudi farms and water authorities. Establish recurring revenue and expand datasets across regions and crops.
Phase 3 — National Water Digital Twin (2027-2028)
Unified, multi-ministerial platform for real-time national visibility. Integration with MEWA and other agencies.
Phase 4 — GCC Expansion & Climate Analytics (2029+)
Export-ready model for neighboring countries. Position Saudi Arabia as global leader in AI-driven water governance.
Strategic Partnerships & Vision 2030 Alignment
Actively forging strategic partnerships with leading institutions. Durra.ai aligns directly with Vision 2030 goals in water efficiency and conservation, food security and agricultural innovation, climate resilience and sustainability, energy optimization, and digital transformation.
Research Collaboration
The DESAL Research Group at KAUST, led by Prof. Noreddine Ghaffour, is collaborating with Durra.ai to explore how desalination and water-reuse innovations can complement AI-based irrigation systems. The partnership focuses on data exchange and pilot validation to enhance water-use efficiency across Saudi farms.
Be a Part of First Saudi National Water Digital Twin
Durra.ai is currently onboarding ministries, farms, municipalities, and research institutions into its pilot program.