IoT implementations have had an exponential increase. The ease of accessing and storing data provided by IoT has made it a popular choice for many fields. And agriculture lags no way behind in this race. Researchers and experts have recently noticed that IoT applications‘ industrial implementation has enhanced profit by a huge factor. And thus, they have started using IoT to magnify agricultural productions at a low cost.
No doubt, the initial deployment of the internet of things is quite challenging. But the agricultural industry might foresee an annual 20% growth with IoT implementation.
- IoT in Precision Agriculture
- IoT and Climate
- Smart Greenhouses
- Data Analysis and IoT
- Use cases
- Ending Words
IoT in Precision Agriculture
Precise controlling and practicing of farming are the needs of the hour. The use of IoT in Precision Farming allows tracking, monitoring, and observing fields, vehicles, livestock, and inventory. Various sensors collect data for each parameter. And then, the sensors store them for future access as per requirement. The data is then analyzed and studied to maximize the benefits of farming.
Precision Farming lets you make quick and intelligent decisions by using connected devices. These gadgets study the soil conditions and detect the water and nutrient content present in it. This ensures that the plantation of crops is done under suitable conditions.
IoT and Climate
For a successful smart farming practice, you must have proper knowledge about the climatic conditions. IoT comes to the rescue in this field too. Advanced sensors are placed inside and outside the fields. And using IoT solutions, you can track real-time weather conditions, like humidity, temperature, rainfall, etc.
The sensors collect data from the surroundings and calculate the weather parameters. Now, utilizing this data, you can decide the farming methodologies. Thus, it will help to increase your productivity and benefits.
Smart Greenhouses
Seeds and seedlings in their initial stage are planted in greenhouses. It makes sure that the adverse climate or pesticides do not harm their growth. During its stay at the greenhouse, these plants need extra care. And since there are many such plants in the greenhouse, taking care of all at once becomes difficult.
The invocation of Internet of Things applications here makes it easy to maintain and synchronize these greenhouses. The sensors inside the room take care of the temperature. The message is sent to the connected devices whenever adjustments in the climatic conditions are needed. It also cuts down human intervention. And thus, it is very cost-effective. Moreover, the SMS alerts can remind you about the watering intervals of the plants.
Data Analysis and IoT
As already mentioned, IoT ensures easy storage and access to data. The generation of huge data in the farming industry demands efficient cloud-based storage.
One can link these cloud platforms with many devices. Thus, making access to the databases quite simple. You can transfer this data via the cloud to several research organizations at ease. And it will also prevent you from the fear of data theft. Thus, the use of cloud computing in Internet of Things makes it possible to practice smart farming.
Let us see some use cases
IoT-Based Climate Predictor
The growth of healthy crops is widely determined by the climatic conditions prevailing at a particular place and time. But often, our assumptions about nature can go wrong. So most agricultural research houses make use of IoT-enabled climate monitors. These are nothing but sensors that can alert or inform you about the current and expected weather conditions.
GreenIQ
GreenIQ an IoT-based device used for greenhouse monitoring. The device makes use of smart sensors that detect the water and light requirements in the field. The gadget triggers connected water sprinklers and turns on the lights to let the crops get the ideal conditions for their growth.
Field Data Collectors
The soil and its associated conditions are quite essential to boost crop growth. The use of specific sensors placed on the land allows the direct collection of data from the soil. Moisture content, humous amount, kind of creatures present in the soil – all play a vital role.
The device will suggest the type of crop suitable for the soil type. Also, it indicates the modifications needed to make the soil more fertile.
Livestock Tracker
Farmers not only own their own fields but also bunches of livestock that are equally important for them. Livestock tracking IoT applications help keep an eye virtually on the livestock. The data of their count, age, and feeding intervals, all are stored in the device.
Ending Words
Internet of Things has immense potential in the field of agriculture and farming. With the progressing world, the need for impactful technologies is increasing. And IoT has proved its versatility in several domains, including agriculture. We expect that this new technology will increase productivity and be profitable in the future.
