Can IoT technology power the growth in smart farming?

When we think about IoT and how it is changing industries, we tend to lean towards smart utilities applications and the evolution of smart cities. This is where we see the biggest transformations helping to increase efficiency, productivity, and benefit organisations as well as citizens living in ever more populated urban environments.

However, when we think of farming or agricultural settings, these are not necessarily the use cases that come to mind when we think of technological advancement. But times are changing, with the sector becoming increasingly ripe for IoT innovation.

The global agricultural market is huge – growing from $12,245.63 billion in 2022 to $13,398.79 billion in 2023 at a a CAGR of 9.4%. While the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to disrupt the economic recovery of a sector that faces many challenges, including supply chain issues and rising commodity prices, it is still predicted to grow to $19,007.8 billion in 2027.

Environmental issues like wastewater and pollution into rivers and streams, deforestation and land degradation are a constant presence as supply tries to keep up with demand. In the UK, the pressure from supermarkets to provide food at low prices means ever greater livestock numbers and the use of more fertilisers and pesticides to increase crop yields.

New and potential developments in smart farming could provide solutions to help combat some of these challenges, with intelligent automation and controls helping organisations in the sector strike the right balance between productivity and protecting the environment.

Smart farming use cases

Farming has a huge range of potential applications for IoT technology. One example that is already widely adopted is for livestock management, used for monitoring the health and wellbeing of animals.

This is particularly important in hard to reach locations, where a resilient, long range wireless technology can outperform other technologies like cellular in remote and challenging environments. Cattle wear battery-powered sensors that monitor their location, temperature and heart rate, with regular updates sent to the farmer. Monitoring location and health in near real time allows them respond quickly when needed, and potentially prevent the spread of disease.

Farmers also have access to IoT technologies for environmental monitoring for crop management. Sensors in fields can monitor moisture and nutrient levels in the soil helping to maximise crop yields, while data can be used to detect adverse conditions and help prevent disease and infestations.

But the potential for development goes beyond monitoring and data collection.

Take the challenges of densely populated cities, like Singapore, for example, where space is at a premium and where we need to rethink food production. Vertical farming could help maximise minimum space while boosting urban sustainability and optimising resources like water (some vertical systems claim to use 95% less water than conventional farming). This would not be feasible without IoT technology, which can be used to control lighting, temperature, irrigation, and nutrients.

Another use case is marine agriculture. Climate change has led to an increased appreciation of the need for sustainability in our oceans, and how to make best use of its resources.

One interesting example is in seaweed production, an area where Wi-SUN communications technology has already proven itself to be an ideal candidate.

Here, low energy battery-operated devices were attached to buoys floating in a seaweed farm in Okinawa to measure water temperature and salinity. More devices – all built to exacting IEEE standards – were located in an onshore facility, transferring data to the cloud for remote access and analysis.

Ultimately, uses such as marine permaculture – which combines food production with carbon reduction – should become self-sustaining. But IoT technology can be invaluable in monitoring environments and providing early warnings if something is not right.

The same benefits can be extended to other uses cases, like greenhouse production where IoT technology can help automate environmental controls and maximise crop yields. Wi-SUN technology is already being used in Japan for vegetable and mango production.

In tough, unforgiving outdoor environments like seaweed farms, crop and livestock farms, the difference between success and failure is huge. Right now, with the combined challenges of climate change and population growth, we need to lean into new technologies than can make a real difference. The technology is already here, and the use cases are compelling.