Over a 30-month period, the MAGDA project successfully developed an integrated, modular system for advanced weather forecasting and irrigation advisory tailored to agriculture. Using satellite, drone, and in-situ sensing technologies, such as Galileo-enabled GNSS and Copernicus EO data, it delivered a high-resolution meteorological and hydrological platform. The system was validated under real farming conditions across three European pilot regions. Close engagement with agricultural end-users secured relevance, usability, and adoption.

The MAGDA project – “Meteorological Assimilation from Galileo and Drones for Agriculture” – was funded by the Horizon Europe programme under the EUSPA-2021-SPACE-02-51 call and ran from November 2022 to April 2025. The consortium, coordinated by GReD (Italy), consisted of seven partners from six European countries: CIMA Research Foundation (Italy), Administrația Națională de Meteorologie (Romania), FutureWater (Spain), CAP2020 (France), Meteomatics AG (Switzerland), and MINDS & SPARKS GmbH (Austria), the latter responsible for Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication (DEC) activities.

MAGDA’s core mission was to integrate cutting-edge observational technologies—multi-frequency GNSS stations, vertical profiling drones (Meteodrones), Copernicus Sentinel data, weather radar, and ground sensors—into a scalable forecasting and advisory platform. This solution feeds real-time data into high-resolution numerical weather prediction and hydrological models, delivering tailored services such as severe weather warnings and irrigation scheduling via an adaptive dashboard and APIs compatible with existing Farm Management Systems (FMS).

Project results

Concluded in April 2025, MAGDA delivered a robust portfolio of scientific, technical, and operational achievements:

• MAGDA Observation Services (MAGDA-OBS): A comprehensive suite of observation services integrating GNSS stations, Meteodrones, metIS in-situ sensors, and Copernicus EO data to provide near real-time atmospheric data. It enables enhanced data assimilation into the MAGDA forecasting system.
• MAGDA end-user-oriented tools (MAGDA-EOS): Offers real-time severe weather alerts and SPHY-based irrigation advisories tailored to local crop conditions and soil moisture dynamics. Built on high-resolution WRF forecasts and the SPHY hydrological model, these tools combine ground data, GNSS-derived atmospheric parameters, and satellite inputs. They were validated with active feedback from end users and regional stakeholders.
• MAGDA Dashboard: A dedicated adaptive dashboard that visualises MAGDA-EOS outputs in an accessible, multilingual format. Designed for ease-of-use and accessibility, in line with MAGDA’s “no one left behind” principle. It supports farmers through interactive data visualisation and advisory services.

As the partner responsible for dissemination, exploitation, and communication (DEC), MINDS & SPARKS (M&S) established and managed the MAGDA website, social media channels, project newsletters, and visual identity, including all print and promotional materials. These efforts significantly enhanced the project’s visibility, stakeholder engagement, and the adoption potential of its Key Exploitable Results.

Project impacts

The MAGDA project generated measurable scientific, environmental, and economic impacts aligned with EU Green Deal strategies:

• Improved climate resilience in agriculture through enhanced forecasting of extreme weather events (hail, drought, heatwaves), enabling proactive planning and damage mitigation.
• Optimised irrigation efficiency using MAGDA’s SPHY-based irrigation advisory service, combining EO, GNSS, and weather data for localised, data-driven recommendations.
• Interoperable and accessible digital services via MAGDA Dashboard and Farm Management System APIs, ensuring “no one left behind” and supporting scalable adoption across farming systems.
• Advancement in EO and GNSS integration for agriculture, promoting the use of GNSS reflectometry, drone-based profiling, and Copernicus Sentinel data in precision farming.
• Boosting EU competitiveness in smart farming, weather analytics, and environmental intelligence, by transforming research results into Key Exploitable Results (KERs) with long-term value.

Links

https://www.magdaproject.eu/

https://x.com/home

https://www.youtube.com/@MAGDA-Project

https://www.linkedin.com/in/magda-project/

Keywords

Exploitation strategy, exploitation pathways, impact management, meteorological assimilation, advanced GNSS, drone technologies