Precision Agriculture Revolution: A Low-cost Smart Irrigation System Empowered by IoT for Small-scale Farmers

Ushaa Eswaran; Vivek Eswaran; Keerthna Murali; Vishal Eswaran

doi:10.37591/joma.v10i3.7744

Abstract

Precision agriculture powered by Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming traditional farming practices for improved crop yield and sustainability. This paper presents the architecture, implementation and testing of a low-cost smart irrigation system aimed at optimal utilization of water resources for small-scale farmers. The automated system monitors a suite of sensors that provide field data such as soil moisture, temperature, humidity. An intelligent controller processes this information to operate water pumps and valves for need-based irrigation. Real-time data is uploaded to the cloud and accessed through mobile interfaces. The major hardware components constituting the system include sensors, microcontroller, WiFi/GSM modules, pumps and valves. Software functions encompass sensor interfacing, data acquisition, actuator control and cloud connectivity. Key results demonstrate accurate sensor measurements, appropriately triggered irrigation cycles upon crossing moisture thresholds and remote monitoring of field statistics. Large-scale replication can enable precise irrigation to conserve water, improve productivity and assist farmers through informed decision making. With increasing strain on groundwater levels and fresh water resources, such IoT solutions hold the promise for revolutionizing agriculture sector.

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