Software tools for management of conjunctive use of surface- and ground-water in the rural environment: integration of the Farm Process and the Crop Growth Module in the FREEWAT platform

•Coupling of FMP and CGM and integration in FREEWAT provides a module for rural water management.•The rural water management module is demonstrated in a synthetic case study focusing on irrigated sunflower.•Analyzing all the simulated evapotranspiration terms, we highlight the relevance of natural root uptake from groundwater.•Water authorities, large farms and public/private companies managing irrigation areas may use the developed application.