article · Scientific African
An intelligent irrigation system integrates Internet of Things technology and embedded systems to optimise agricultural water use. By combining an ESP32 microcontroller with sensors measuring soil moisture, water levels, temperature, and humidity, the system tracks real-time crop needs and atmospheric conditions. Data is transmitted to a web server using HTTP and Server-Sent Events, updating a continuous web-based user interface without manual intervention. Testing showed that the setup improves irrigation efficiency by delivering water based on real-time soil and climatic parameters. This approach supports predictable crop yields, curbs unnecessary water consumption, and lowers labour costs linked to manual field management. Furthermore, the automated monitoring setup helps mitigate agricultural vulnerabilities to droughts and floods, promoting sustainable and resilient farming practices.
Climate change and water scarcity create pressing operational challenges for farming. By using low-cost connected hardware and web technologies, automated irrigation systems can distribute water precisely where and when crops need it. This reduces water waste, protects harvests against erratic weather patterns, cuts labour costs, and supports sustainable food production in regions vulnerable to climate stress.
The system offers an applied technological solution for agricultural producers, commercial farm managers, and irrigation equipment suppliers seeking automated water control. Combining off-the-shelf ESP32 hardware, standard sensors, and lightweight web protocols indicates an applied and tested prototype. Real-world adoption would require packaged hardware enclosures, robust field installation pathways, and commercial software maintenance to transition from experimental testing to farm deployment.
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• Integration of cutting-edge technologies such as ESP32, IoT, HTTP, SSE, HTML, and CSS to optimise agricultural irrigation management. • Integration of DHT22, soil moisture, and water sensors for accurate and continuous real-time data collection. • Implementation of Server-Sent Events for automatic and continuous data updates via an intuitive user interface. • Increased monitoring of climatic conditions and crop needs for more informed management decisions. • Reduce the costs associated with manual irrigation management while reducing environmental impact. • Contribute to sustainable farming practices by minimising the risks associated with climate change and increasing agricultural resilience. Modern agriculture is facing increasing challenges related to the efficient management of water resources and the optimization of agricultural productivity, exacerbated by global climate change. This context has motivated the development of an intelligent irrigation system using advanced technologies such as embedded systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), HTTP, Server-Sent Event (SSE), HTML, and CSS. This study develops a real-time smart irrigation system using IoT and embedded technology, achieving efficient water management and supporting sustainable agriculture in Africa. The main objective of this study is to improve irrigation management by enabling real-time monitoring of climatic conditions and crop requirements. The central problem addressed is the need to minimize excessive water use while maximizing crop yields, taking into account environmental constraints and economic pressures. To achieve this, an intelligent irrigation system architecture was developed, exploiting the capabilities of embedded systems to collect data and send real-time updates via SSE. The methods involved integrating the embedded controller (ESP32) and specialist sensors such as the DHT22 to measure temperature and humidity, as well as soil moisture and water level sensors. The data collected was transmitted to a web server via HTTP and SSE, allowing continuous updating of a user interface developed in HTML/CSS. The results showed a significant improvement in irrigation efficiency, with more accurate use of water resources based on actual soil and atmospheric conditions. This approach has resulted in more stable and predictable crop yields while reducing the risks associated with droughts and floods. The discussion highlights the importance of this technology in promoting sustainable and resilient agriculture in the face of today's environmental challenges. By enhancing proactive management of water resources, this study paves the way for future innovations in smart farming.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2024.e02527
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