Smart Crops Irrigation System with Low Energy Consumption

Abstract

The COVID-19 preventive measurements restrict farm-workers from travel to their farms, social distancing and lockdown to prevent them from getting infected. Consequently, farming and irrigation activities are dramatically reduced due to shortage of farm-workers and reduction of crops production. To find solutions, various technologies have been adopted to remotely connect farmers with their farm-fields from their homes and perform the same work as they are in the farm. An Internet of Things (IoT) approach, modern sensor technologies, and smart irrigation equipment are coupled to allow the collection of the field data for automatic irrigation of the field. This paper presents the IoT system based on Fuzzy logic controller that assists farmers to receive and monitor necessary irrigation data from the farm field through their smart phones and PCs. The Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are deployed in the field to measure the water content in the soil and water used for plants by measuring the soil moisture dynamics throughout the entire duration of the crop growing season in the Maize crop farm. The Fuzzy logic controller was used for data analytics and intelligent decision making as well as Fuzzy logic toolbox in MATLAB to simulate irrigation scheduling process. The system saves 50% of water and energy consumption for irrigation, 80% reduction of farm-workers and increase in 20% of crop production.