Intel is working with University of California, Davis, to perfect irrigation techniques by placing sensors in crops and other strategic areas to monitor soil and air moisture levels.

The irrigation project is called Precision Farming. Intel is working with University of California, Davis, to perfect irrigation techniques by placing sensors in crops and other strategic areas to monitor soil and air moisture levels. "The rate of water supply to the crop is [currently] determined on an ad-hoc basis," Sharma said. “The notion is that there is a lot of waste because of over-provisioning. You instrument better and you tie that back to the supply of water and reduce waste.”

He said said this approach could reduce the amount of water used for irrigation by as much as 50 percent.