University of Sharjah’s My FarmWell app wins UAE Society of Engineers award for water-smart agriculture

A mobile tool created at the University of Sharjah has recently been recognized by the UAE Society of Engineers for its innovative effort to bring together artificial intelligence, environmental data, and farm-level decision support into a single user-friendly platform for agriculture affected by water scarcity.

The My FarmWell app snagged the Best Small Project award during the fourth edition of the Society of Engineers’ Excellence and Creative Engineering Award, competing in the Pioneer Engineering Project category. This accolade puts the project among a select group of winners in a competition that, according to the society, had received 1,268 submissions and honored 79 projects since its inception.

For the University of Sharjah, this isn’t just about a shiny trophy. It signals a growing interest in digital solutions that can assist farmers in managing groundwater levels, optimizing irrigation, and tackling the challenges posed by climate change, both within the UAE and in the broader region.

Developed through a partnership between the University of Sharjah and IBM, with backing from Khalifa University and contributions from researchers, technical teams, and government agencies, the app was designed to help users make practical decisions. It does this by combining groundwater monitoring data, weather forecasts, crop advice, and an AI-powered chatbot.

This combo, that mix of features, is especially significant in the Gulf, where agriculture relies heavily on scarce water resources. Groundwater depletion remains a major concern, and the project aims to promote more efficient water use while providing farmers access to scattered or complex information that’s often hard to interpret quickly while working in the field.

My FarmWell consolidates several functions into a single interface. It offers well water level tracking, irrigation recommendations, sustainability tips, links to water regulations and crop prices, along with real-time weather updates. Additionally, it includes a chatbot that can answer technical questions instantly, offering a faster route to guidance than relying solely on traditional manuals or references.

The university notes that the app also displays water quality indicators, historical groundwater levels, and crop suggestions. It’s been built with support for both English and Arabic, which will hopefully expand its use among farmers and agricultural workers not just in the UAE, but across parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

The award’s criteria focused on sustainability, innovation, and tangible social impact. When viewed through that lens, My FarmWell fits well within the UAE’s broader push to leverage advanced tech, enhancing food security, better managing environmental resources, and easing the strain on natural supplies.

Founded in 1979 by a ministerial decree, the Society of Engineers is one of the region’s larger professional bodies, boasting over 40,000 members, according to the organization. Its awards are intended to highlight projects that go beyond just technical novelty and demonstrate real-world application.

That makes this recognition even more meaningful. It’s not just about praising a piece of software but recognizing an engineering solution that directly addresses water management and sustainable farming. The focus on data-driven advice illustrates a broader shift in climate technology, where digital systems are increasingly valued for how well they interpret complex environmental data into actionable steps.

Dr. Adewale Giwa, an assistant professor at the university, led the project. The university shared that his research centers on water sustainability and artificial intelligence. His team seems focused on bridging a common gap in agri-tech, making sophisticated info accessible enough so farmers can actually act on it in real time.

IBM played a pretty major role through their Impact Accelerator and related sustainability efforts. The university explained that this partnership helped integrate AI, cloud computing, and environmental intelligence tools into the platform. Basically, the app isn’t just a local database; it’s a connected system that taps into regional climate and water data.

Initially, the app was part of a larger effort aimed at tackling water scarcity and making farming more resilient across the UAE and MENA region. Later updates introduced a Watsons-related chatbot called Welly, which offers guidance in multiple languages on well-monitoring and irrigation strategies. The university also mentions ongoing development plans to enhance the app’s relevance beyond just the UAE.

Looking ahead, the project’s next phase is probably all about scaling. An update highlighted plans to include features like interactive maps, easier login options, and more comprehensive groundwater data. These upgrades suggest an eye toward making the platform more applicable to other water-stressed areas facing similar agricultural issues.

For those keeping an eye on climate tech in the UAE, this award is significant because it sits at the crossroads of three major priorities: water security, agricultural efficiency, and digital innovation. The country has channeled significant investments into advanced tech solutions, yet, the real challenge is moving projects from initial testing to actual deployment. My FarmWell seems to be making headway there.

This accolade also underscores the vital role universities are taking in the region’s climate-tech ecosystem. Instead of relying solely on commercial agritech companies, academic teams are increasingly developing tools that can be tested, refined, and implemented on the ground. In a field where local data and user-friendliness are crucial, that collaborative approach is especially powerful.

All in all, My FarmWell stands as a good example of how engineering awards can honor not just technological prowess but also broader societal benefits. In a country where every drop of water counts, a system that helps farmers use water more wisely could turn out to be even more valuable than the prize itself.