A Spatio temporal Approach to Irrigation and Cultivation of Agricultural Plants with a focus on Virtual Water, GIS, and Ants Swarm Intelligence

Traditional methods of irrigation and resource utilization lack an organized strategy for managing water resources. There are often inefficiencies in the way irrigation water is used in fields and plains, leading to irrigation waste and inefficient water utilization. Considering the size and dispersion of the land, the variety of crops, the time and location at which they are planted, and the distance between the source of water and the point where it is consumed, irrigation and drainage networks are essential for the best management of water resources. Therefore, in the present study, we have attempted to optimize the use of water in the agricultural sector by taking into account both the virtual water of plant cultivation and growth as well as the environmental conditions relevant to it, both geographically and temporally. Based on the calculations presented in this research and comparisons with the existing traditional method, the amount of water consumed in agriculture in the study area, which is part of Isfahan Province's southern part in the Gavkhoni lagoon, is estimated to be approximately 70 percent reduced if the solution presented in this study is implemented. It would be equivalent to using about 30% of the amount of water currently consumed and something equivalent to about 300 thousand cubic meters of water consumption reduction, which is a significant amount.