In: Green Computing and Its Applications ISBN: 978-1-68507-357-2
Editors: Sanjay Kumar et al. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter 12
INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)
IN AGRICULTURE
Dipti Chauhan1,, PhD, Pritika Bahad2
and Rupali Pathak3
1,3
Computer Science & Engineering,
Prestige Institute of Engineering Management & Research,
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
2
Computer Science, Government College Kaytha Ujjain, India
ABSTRACT
The exponential growth of the global data and information volume
has given the impetus to the development of the Internet of Things (IoT)
and the omnipresence of related devices. Today, the Internet of Things is
an integral part of our everyday lives and this development cannot be
kept away. As per Statista, there will be more than 75 billion Internet of
Things (IoT) connected devices in use by 2025. Data volume created by
IoT connections is projected to reach a massive total of 79.4 zettabytes
by 2025. Wired or wireless networks will connect a variety of devices,
machines, vehicles and almost everything. IoT makes way for unlimited
Corresponding Author’s Email: dchauhan@[Link].
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348 Dipti Chauhan, Pritika Bahad and Rupali Pathak
business prospects in all fields, and agriculture is no exception. The use
of IoT technology in agriculture will increase crop production to new
heights. In this chapter, we will focus on the applications of IoT in
agriculture. The chapter also discusses about the usage of IoT in the
intelligent irrigation system and classifies different sensors.
Keywords: agriculture, drones, internet of things, predictive analytics,
sensors
12.1. INTRODUCTION
Green computing seeks to use IT resources in an energy-efficient,
economically-efficient and environmentally friendly manner by greening
computers and computer products (using, disposing, designing and
manufacturing), which in turn affect the development of a wide range of
regions in the country. India is an agricultural country and agriculture and
its associated activities are the main livelihoods for 80% of rural India’s
population. Therefore, agriculture is the core of India’s economy and
agriculture is a prerequisite for our domestic prosperity. It is the main
source of livelihood for about the majority of the population of India,
particularly in rural areas. According to IBEF reports, the Rs. 19.48 lakh
crore ($ 276.37 billion) for agriculture, forestry and fishing was accessed
in FY20 (PE) [1]. GVA growth remained at 4% in FY20 in agriculture and
its allied sectors. In order to stabilize and increase growth, this agro-
industry must be merged with the use of technology so that our country
can develop smoothly. Even if the Government of India has focused and
highlighted the need for progress in agri-business measures previously
referred to, this is an indication of innovative technology and the
implementation of this technology to increase crop productivity that would
lead to overall system growth. With the implementation of the Internet of
Things (IoT) in agriculture, crop production and other sustainable products
are growing tremendously [2]. Various IoT Applications are used in
farming which involves data collection on the humidity of the soil,
temperature, climate, water levels, infertility of soils etc. This information
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Internet of Things (IoT) in Agriculture 349
is gathered from the sensors and actuators and can be further stored on the
cloud and can be assessed for various analytics to obtain meaningful
information. Furthermore, this information can be used to automate
agriculture techniques and make better decisions to improve the production
of crops in terms of quality and quantity. With the use of IoT in agriculture
the life of Farmer can be relieved and which would result in better
production and reduced risks. For instance, there is no need for farmers to
check the soil temperature for irrigation and would now be able to screen
soil temperature and dampness from a far distance, they will be getting the
entire information on their phones through alarms.
12.2. IOT TRANSFORMATION IN
THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
With the remarkable development of the world’s population, as the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization indicated, in 2050, we
need to increase the consumption of food by 70%, for horticultural land
use and the exhaustion of natural resources, the need to increase the yield
of ranches has become essential. To solve the above problems, IoT
solutions offer better product solutions, mainly aimed at helping farmers
to shut down the inventory request hole by guaranteeing outstanding
returns, benefits and climate assurance. IoT provides various solutions that
lay the foundation for helping farmers to improve productivity,
profitability and environmental benefits. In agricultural technologies
Agribusiness IoT plays an important role, which includes specialized
equipment, wireless connectivity, software and IT services. The use of
technology led to intelligent farming, because technological advances have
provided farmers with a better controlled ecosystem. Devices/computers
identify the requirements for control of farm animals and farm crops [3].
This technique makes efficient decisions on the use of plants and animals.
Decisions can be taken on a square acre or smaller tract of land that is
capable of individually processing crops or animals. The business
intelligence survey reports that IoT devices are expected to reach 75
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350 Dipti Chauhan, Pritika Bahad and Rupali Pathak
million in the agriculture industry in 2020, increasing by 20% every year.
Simultaneously, the global smart agriculture market is expected to triple
by 2025, to 15.3 billion dollars (as opposed to just over 5 billion dollars by
2016).
Smart IoT-dependent agriculture enables farmers and growers to
reduce waste and improve profitability, from the quantity of manure and
fertilizers used to the number of excursions made by vehicles, and to
enable the effective use of assets such as water, energy and so on. IoT
intelligent agriculture solutions are a framework, which is designed to
control yields with the aid of sensors (light, mugginess, temperature, soil
damping, crop well-being, etc) and to mechanize the framework of the
water system [4]. Farmers can monitor the conditions in the field from any
place, including their homes or elsewhere. You can also choose between
manual and mechanized alternatives to make important moves that depend
on this information. For example, if soil moisture deteriorates, farmers can
send sensors to start the water system. This mechanism, in contrast, is
exceptionally productive and the regular manual methodology involves a
lot of work. There are many different ways IoT applications change the
way agriculture works, i.e., the future of agriculture.
12.2.1. Use of Smart Agriculture Iot Technology
Data collected by intelligent agricultural sensors, a key component of
this agricultural management approach, includes sensors, control systems,
robotics, self-supporting vehicles, automatic hardware, variable rate
technology, movement detectors, button cameras and wearable devices.
This information can be used to monitor general business conditions as
well as the performance of employees and the efficiency of equipment. The
ability to manage output allows for better product delivery planning.
Agricultural landowners can use various wireless IoT applications to
collect information about the location, well-being, and health of their cattle
so that they can identify themselves sooner and remove them from the
doctors’ treatment group [5].
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Internet of Things (IoT) in Agriculture 351
12.2.2. Usage of Greenhouse Can Be Automated
Using Iot Applications in Farming
A smart greenhouse designed with the help of intelligent IoT monitors
and simultaneously controls the climate and thus eliminating the need for
manual intervention. The computer controls temperature, water and other
factors that allow farmers to grow crops throughout the year. Information
is stored and often requires very little manual work in changing or
controlling the growing environment. It helps people located in rural areas
to have better control over the weather. Climate change has changed the
weather patterns in many places. These greenhouses give farmers the
ability to grow crops regardless of weather or conditions. Many
greenhouses are used to grow vegetables and fruits abroad.
12.2.3. Reduced Water Consumption in Agriculture
Water consumption can be reduced by the usage of soil sensors in
agriculture. Plants are studied and data collected which is made available
to other farmers who plant the same crop. Using this technology we can
look underwater and over-watered plants can be exposed and their lives
can be retained at greater ages. A wireless sensor was used at the farm
which was the size of the crop.
12.2.4. Pest Monitoring
Pest monitoring is another area that technology now helps with –
Farmers can monitor pests and act using wireless technology. Excessive
use of pesticides on crops increases not only human health but also the
environment. According to estimates by the World Health Organization,
about 3 lakh people die every year and around 220,000 people die. Farmers
are not aware of the exact application of pesticides and have harmful
effects on other organisms including humans [6].
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12.2.5. Livestock Tracking
Recently Samsung has partnered with Herdsy to develop technology
that helps raise better cattle all over the world. This handheld tracking
device will be used to collect data on cattle that can be used to improve
raising them. A tag placed around the neck of the animal monitors its
location, heart rate, temperature, movement, and activity level. The
information is collected and used to improve raising the cattle. Alerts come
when unusual activity is found. This data can be given to vets when the
animals get sick. It uses geo-fencing to track animals to keep them from
getting lost or stolen. The company has had many orders for this device
around the world.
12.2.6. Big Data in Farming
The usage of big data technology brings a tremendous change in smart
agriculture. It has the potential to increase production by 2050 which is
needed to feed the world. Suppliers will be expected to do more with fewer
resources available. Analyzing data in real-time will help farmers come up
with a new solution to changing problems [7]. They can monitor current
weather, soil, rain, and bugs to find the best solutions to the problems. They
might be able to prevent outbreaks of disease or insects that destroy their
crops. They can develop and tailor a specific product to certain market
segments using big data. This data gives them a very competitive
advantage.
12.2.7. Smart Agriculture Predictive Analytics
Crop predictions are of major importance to enable farmers to decide
on future crop production plans, stockpiling, risk management and
marketing techniques. Artificial networks use information collected from
farm sensors to predict crop production rates. This information includes
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parameters such as soil, temperature, pressure, precipitation and moisture.
Farmers can obtain accurate soil information either via a dashboard or a
custom mobile application. Farmers have begun to realize that IoT is a
driving force for cost-effective increases in agricultural production [8-9].
Since the market is still developing, there are still plenty of opportunities
for those who want to join the company.
12.3. APPLICATIONS OF IOT IN AGRICULTURE
Farming has made many technological advances since the agricultural
age. Today, farmers can quickly determine what is best for their crops,
understanding impending weather interactions and impacts, and produce a
good product at a fast pace. With IoT making strides in the area of farming,
it might not be too far off that the press of a button will be the force behind
agricultural growth. In this section, we will discuss about the various
applications of IoT in Agriculture.
12.3.1. Weed Robots
These are smart agriculture robots (agri-bots) uses digital image
processing to go through the images of weeds in their weeds and spray
them directly by using their robotic arms to detect similarities with crops.
Figure 12.1. Weed Robots.
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354 Dipti Chauhan, Pritika Bahad and Rupali Pathak
They are treated as a boon for the ecosystem and also for farmers who are
using pesticides for their lands.
12.3.2. Harvesting Robotics
The use of agri-business for crops resolves the labour shortages
problem. These new machines can be operated 24/7 through the delicate
selection process of fruits and vegetables. These machines use a
combination of image processing and robotic weapons to determine fruit
in order to control quality. Because of high operating costs for crops
focusing on agro-based early harvesting, fruit is like apples. Greenhouse
harvesting also applies to high-value crops such as tomatoes and
strawberries with these bots. These bots can be used to properly determine
the harvest stage in the greenhouse and harvest time [3].
Figure 12. 2. Harvesting Robotics.
12.3.3. Drones
Drones are majorly used by the agriculture industry for monitoring and
make tasks easy for farmers and thus enhance their productivity. They are
used to monitor soil, spraying, watering and planting. Monitoring the soil
helps farmers connect what is needed to help their crops grow better [9].
Drones evaluate temperature, land slope, moisture, which gives them the
right soil samples. Farmers use this information for decision making when
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crops recur, and development improves. The benefits of IoT in farming
have been shown using drones. They are built with different sensors and
cameras used for taking images and surveying crops yield and fields.
12.3.4. Machine Navigation
Since remotely-controlled toy cars with a microcontroller are enabled,
tractors and heavy tillage equipment can be operated automatically from
home via GPS. These integrated automated machines are very précised and
self-adjusting when differences in areas are detected and labor-intensive
tasks is simplified. Both their work and progress can be easily monitored
on your smartphone. These technology-driven engines are getting smarter
and independent with features such as automatic obstacle detection with
advances in maschine learning.
Figure 12.3. Drones Technology.
Figure 12.4. Machine Navigation.
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12.3.5. Climatic Conditions
In agriculture, climate plays a very important role. And inappropriate
climate knowledge exacerbates crop production quantity and quality.
However, IoT solutions allow you to know the weather conditions in real
time. The sensors are installed indoors and outdoors. They collect
environment data for selecting the right crops that can grow and sustain
under specific climatic conditions. The sensor data in terms of moisture,
temperature, precipitation and dew detection help to determine the weather
patterns in the fields to be grown for suitable crops.
Figure 12.5. Climatic Conditions.
Figure 12.6. Soil quality.
12.3.6. Soil Quality
The soil quality analysis helps to determine the nutrient value and
drying area of the fields, the capacity of drainage and the acidity of the
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soil, so that the water required for irrigation and the more profitable types
of farming can be adjusted.
12.4. SENSORS USED FOR AGRICULTURE
Several historians suggested that the agricultural revolution was one
of the most important innovations in human history, since settlers are able
to effectively produce a sustainable amount of food. As populations around
the world grow, however, agricultural operations have become
increasingly complex, extensive, and customized. Technological
inventions make farming more productive than ever before, harvest more
crops per region and produce better quality products. There is a broad gap
between the innovations created by research and development
organisations and their actual importance in the field of farmers. Farmers’
attention to innovations should be given to better exchange advances in
exploration. In this technological revolution, sensors play a very important
role [11-12]. In this section, we will explore the various sensors in the
agricultural sector.
12.4.1. Agricultural Temperature Sensors
These are very important in two main classifications of intelligent
agriculture - including observation of condition and mechanical property
control. For example, ice wine collection is known to occur within a thin
temperature window when first-rate temperatures reach -10°C to -12°C
during the reaping season. For the ice wine industry, the highly precise
temperature and dampness sensors and accurate conjecture temperature
estimates are fundamental. Temperature sensors not only play an important
role in monitoring the encompassing conditions in a real area but also play
an important role in practically all smart farming resources observing
applications.
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12.4.2. Smart Cameras Use in Agriculture
While the technology for smart camera technology is far from a
stereotypical analogue sensor, the technology has been used for a number
of smart farming applications increasingly. Companies like John Deere’s
Blue River Technology have used intelligent camera technology to detect
weeds and other plant locations to dispense herbicides and fertilizer
automatically and accurately. This optimizes chemical use and improves
overall productivity while reducing chemical use.
12.4.3. pH Sensors in Agriculture
The accessibility of supplements is fundamental for the development
of plants for creatures and living beings. In streamlining the development
potential of a plant and producing profoundly profitable harvests, a
profound and quantitative understanding of the soil conditions from which
agricultural products have been derived is essential. The use of pH sensors
provides basic criticism of soil supplement deficiencies or the presence of
unwanted synthetic substances. These sensors help savvy farming screens
to keep track of horticultural business day by day, week by week, month
by months and annual changes in soil pH and supplements.
12.4.4. GPS Sensors
Also for brilliant horticulture, the GPS sensors are typically connected
to car and cell correspondence companies. It has always been extremely
important to farmers to monitor their herds from old pilgrims who have
grouped sheep with wooden staffs to the management of the old West. The
existing GPS monitoring of animals has enhanced the ability to screen
animals with a basic catching press. It can also be used in high-precision
vehicle guides for plant harvesting and related GPS technology agricultural
techniques.
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12.4.5. Sensors for Resource Monitoring
The monitoring of resources is another application in shrewd
agriculture where temperature detection takes on an essential part. Despite
the control of plants, temperature sensors notice the hardware assembling
these plants. Temperature sensors convey alarms at any point where a gear
frame requires small support, does not satisfy expectations or is
fundamentally flat. They are mainly used in any precious and receptive
maintenance framework to protect against overheating and adverse
deception.
12.4.6. Accelerometer Sensor
Similar to the use of temperature sensors in precise maintenance,
accelerometers are widely used for anticipation and support by the
intelligent agriculture industry. Accelerometers are mainly used on moving
segments and motors to identify minor developmental varieties and
vibration irregularities and to anticipate standard maintenance or
substitution of the undermined part. Although not generally related to
agriculture and other horticulture, accelerometers play a major role in
support of essential shrewd farming equipment.
12.5. IOT CHALLENGES IN AGRICULTURE
The uses of IoT in agriculture have brought a tremendous revolution
in the field of agriculture and it has changed the working way in which
farmers work and the yield increased. However, the integration of smart
technology in the traditional methods of farming may result in several
challenges discussed as under.
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12.5.1. Connectivity
Connectivity in agriculture is one of the major IoT problems that we
need to deliver in rural areas in all agricultural areas. In order to make the
IoT system work, we need to connect the entire agricultural environment -
farms, warehouses, barns, greenhouses, etc. And there’s plenty of room to
work with. Ideally, a reliable smooth connection should also be able to
withstand severe weather events and open space. Unfortunately,
connectivity remains generally a problem on the Internet of Things as
various systems use various protocols and methods of data transmission.
Hopefully, efforts to regulate the industry, the standards and the
development of 5G technology and space-based Internet can solve this
issue soon and provide Internet connection in a fast and reliable manner
for each location, regardless of its size and conditions.
12.5.2. Design and Durability
Any IoT system used in agriculture must not only handle connectivity
but also be able to handle outdoor conditions. The IoT must still have a
functional design and a certain degree of robustness in its drones, mobile
sensors, intelligent grids and weather monitoring stations to “work in the
field.” The complexity and characteristic of the design of an IoT product
is not mentioned in general.
12.5.3. Limited Resources and Time
IoT plays a crucial role in agriculture although integration of smart
technology is carried out in an environment and time constraints that are
constantly changing. Companies designing and developing IoT for
agriculture will have to take into consideration rapid climate change and
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emerging weather conditions, such as limited availability of land and dying
pollination.
12.5.4. Adaptability of Farmers’ Technology
Most farmers in agriculture are rural with an educational background
inadequate. They use the traditional methodology for a long time, and the
use of smartphones and intelligent technologies is very difficult for them.
This is particularly true of small farmers.
CONCLUSION
The intelligent agricultural sector is growing and expanding
exponentially, with almost daily new horizons and technological solutions
on the market. Capacity and importance constantly increase in devices that
collect sensor data, transmit information to farmers and help optimize
large-scale agricultural processes. IoT enabled agriculture solutions have
contributed significantly to the implementation for time-tested knowledge
of modern technological solutions. This helped us bridge the gap between
production yields, quality and quantity. The receipt and transmission of
information from multiple sensors in the database in the real time ensures
faster action and less damage to crops. With smart operating seamless end
to end and the execution of business processes, production is processed
faster and reaches supermarkets as quickly as possible. Despite any
increase and fall in the market, demand for agricultural products will
always be present. People will never stop eating or drinking so that IoT use
leads to another level of the green revolution. Despite various IoT
challenges, this technology is widely accepted in agriculture. Therefore,
development in sectors such as food and agriculture, especially in view of
the pace we are seeing in the world today, will always be a priority. IoT in
agriculture therefore has a very promising future as the driving force for
efficiency, stability and scalability in this industry.
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