Four Emirati students from Dubai schools in the Al Khawaneej area succeeded in developing an advanced innovative project called “Smart Irrigation Train,” which is an integrated automated system that employs Internet of Things, solar energy, and smart agriculture technologies to enhance the efficiency of water resource management and provide sustainable solutions to farms and remote agricultural areas, which qualified it to compete on a global platform for innovation.
The students: Ali Al Jarwan, Khalifa Al Marzouqi, Omar Al Balushi, and Saeed Obaid Abu Al Shawareb, represent the UAE in the finals of the Greenwich International Enterprise and Innovation Olympiad (IGO), currently being held in the British capital, London, during the period from June 14 to 20.
The championship is considered one of the most prominent global competitions for scientific and innovative projects, as it brings together participants from more than 80 countries to compete in the fields of engineering, artificial intelligence, energy, environment, and future technologies, while projects are evaluated according to the criteria of innovation, societal impact, and applicability, allowing Emirati students to present their project on a prestigious international platform, and highlight its role in supporting sustainability and water security.
Innovation to meet challenges
During a meeting conducted by “Emirates Today” with the student team at Dubai Airport before heading to London, student Omar Al Balushi explained that the “Smart Irrigation Train” project is based on transporting water to agricultural areas via a train equipped with a special tank, so that irrigation channels are automatically fed according to the actual needs of the farms, which contributes to rationalizing water consumption and reducing waste.
He added that the project employs Internet of Things, solar energy and smart agriculture technologies to provide an integrated model for sustainable irrigation, stressing that representing the UAE in the Greenwich International Olympiad represents a source of pride for the team, and an opportunity to highlight the capabilities of Emirati students in developing innovative solutions that support water security and environmental sustainability and keep pace with global challenges.
For his part, student Ali Al-Jarwan undertook the development of the smart sensor system responsible for monitoring the arrival of the train and its precise positioning in the pumping area, by employing distance sensors and positioning techniques to ensure that the water vehicle is positioned in the correct place before the start of supply operations.
He explained that this system contributes to raising operating efficiency and enhancing levels of safety and accuracy, ensuring that the water transfer process is carried out in an automated and reliable manner.
He added that representing the UAE in this global forum is a source of pride and honor, and reflects the great confidence that the country places in youth and their ability to provide qualitative solutions that contribute to serving society and supporting the process of sustainable development.
As for the student Saeed Obaid Abu Al-Shawareb, he was responsible for designing and developing the communications and wireless control system that connects the various components of the project, by employing the “Raspberry Pi 5” unit, near the irrigation canal, and the “ESP32” unit installed on the train, allowing the exchange of data and sending operating commands instantly and automatically. He explained that this system forms the backbone of the project, as it ensures continuous communication between the sensors, control units, and the pump, which enhances operating efficiency and reduces the need for human intervention.
He said that representing the UAE in the Greenwich International Olympiad represents the culmination of the team’s efforts and the result of long hours of work and development, stressing that competing on a global platform of this size gives him greater motivation to continue innovation and develop technical solutions that contribute to confronting environmental challenges and supporting the sustainability process.
The role of student Khalifa Al Marzouqi focused on developing the smart irrigation system on the farm, by designing an integrated mechanism that accurately monitors soil moisture levels, temperatures, and lighting intensity in various agricultural areas, and linking this data to smart valves that control the distribution of water automatically according to the needs of each crop.
He explained that this system aims to increase the efficiency of water use and reduce waste, through precise irrigation that responds to actual environmental conditions. It also contributes to improving the quality of agricultural production and supporting sustainable agriculture trends, especially in environments that suffer from scarcity of water resources.
He expressed his pride in representing the UAE in the World Innovation Olympiad, stressing that participation reflects the amount of support that talented students receive, and enables them to transform their ideas into applicable projects.
Championship competitions
Physical education teacher, Fenton Fock, one of the supervisors accompanying the student team to London, told Emirates Today that this participation represents an important opportunity for the students to present their project and represent their school and country in an international platform that brings together an elite group of student innovations and talents from various countries of the world.
He explained that the team arrived in London to deliver the project and participate in the championship competitions, after a period of intense work and continuous preparation, noting that the students showed remarkable commitment and enthusiasm throughout the preparation stages.
He expressed his confidence in their abilities, wishing them to achieve honorable results that reflect the amount of effort and creativity expended, and appreciated the support that contributed to the success of this educational experience, which allows the students to gain international experiences and expand their future horizons.
An exceptional achievement
Abdullah Al Balushi, the guardian of student Omar Al Balushi, expressed his pride and pride in his son representing the UAE as part of the student team participating in a global innovation championship in London, stressing that this achievement reflects the level of competence reached by Emirati students and their ability to compete in international forums.
He said that the team’s qualification is an exceptional achievement that embodies the ability of young people to transform ideas into innovative projects that serve real-world issues. He pointed out that the “Smart Train for Irrigation” project reflects the use of modern technology in providing practical and sustainable solutions to water and agricultural challenges. He added that the project provided the students with the opportunity to integrate engineering and programming knowledge with sustainability concepts in an integrated applied model.
He stressed that such international participations contribute to refining students’ skills and enhancing their self-confidence, and demonstrate the success of the educational system in the UAE in preparing an innovative generation capable of representing their country honorably in international forums.
Global competitive platform
Obaid Abdul Rahman Abu Al-Shawareb, the guardian of the student Saeed, expressed his pride and pride in the arrival of his son and his colleagues to a global competitive platform for innovation in London, stressing that this international presence reflects the great effort made by the students in the stages of developing the project, and is an achievement that every family that participated in supporting this experience is proud of. He pointed out that the “Smart Irrigation Train” project embodies an innovative idea that employs modern technologies in the service of agricultural sustainability, by providing practical solutions to water management challenges. He added that this experience gave Students have an opportunity to apply their knowledge in a truly competitive environment, which has contributed to enhancing their abilities in scientific thinking and teamwork. He stressed that participation in such international forums reflects positively on the students’ personalities, as it develops their spirit of initiative and ambition, and pushes them to continue developing their skills in the fields of innovation and scientific research, which qualifies them to represent the UAE in an honorable manner in the future.
Omar Al Balushi:
• The “project” contributes to rationalizing water consumption and reducing waste, and employs techniques to transport water to agricultural areas via a train that reads needs.
Fenton Fock:
• Participation is an important opportunity for students to present their project and represent their school and country in an international platform that brings together an elite group of innovations from around the world.
Saeed Obaid:
• The international presence reflects the great effort made by the students during the development stages of the “Project”, and is an achievement that everyone is proud of.
Khalifa Al Marzouqi:
• The smart irrigation system was developed by designing an integrated mechanism that accurately monitors soil moisture levels, temperatures, and lighting intensity.
