IoT-enabled solar-powered smart irrigation for precision agriculture

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) can enable the fourth industrial revolution, significantly boosting production and efficiency in the agricultural sector by optimizing farming practices. This research aims to develop a solar-powered IoT irrigating system. The system comprised a 20W solar panel for powering the base station, a Raspberry Pi 4 for pump control, and a 12V 7.5Ah battery for energy storage. Multiple data-collection substations were established to gather field data. The ESP8266 microcontroller was integrated with a Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor (V1.2) and a DHT 22 sensor to relay soil moisture, air temperature, and humidity data to the base station via the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol. The battery can power the motor for at least two hours at night, considering a maximum discharge of 75 %, enough to operate the system at the data collection substation. The threshold for pump activation was set at soil moisture below 45 %, with deactivation occurring at or above 80 % to maintain optimal moisture levels. A website was created utilizing the Python Django framework, and an SQLite3 database was implemented, enabling real-time monitoring and remote control of the irrigation pump. Multiple criteria for irrigation were established to enhance the pump's performance so that the developed irrigation system could operate efficiently. This method enables farmers to remotely monitor field conditions and manage irrigation via a website, thereby decreasing reliance on traditional energy sources and reducing water loss during irrigation.