Soil monitoring sensors

This solution was shared by PRE-LAUNCH RESEARCH TEAM , 14 May 2021

Print date: 13 April 2024 01:09

Description of the innovative solution

Big data Digital platform Information/communication Mobile phones Online services Precision agriculture Sensors Agricultural development Diet diversity Food biodiversity Urban farming Urban planning

Crop growth can be constrained by lack of water, low nutrient supply or other soil functions. The use of sensors to measure key aspects of the soil relevant for crop growth e.g. soil moisture, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, micronutrients, can optimise input application, leading to significant water, fertiliser, energy and labour savings. Sensors can vary in type and complexity. They can be simple probes that measure changes in soil properties related to soil moisture to more complex proximal or remote soil sensing technologies that can measure a range of soil properties. Data collected by sensors can be sent to the cloud where it can be accessed from any mobile or fixed device allowing remote monitoring of the soil.

Primary users

Subsistence farmers
Small & medium commercial farmers
Large & industrial farmers
Hobby home gardeners
Urban farmers
Agtech companies
Women
Pregnant women

Dietary impact

The use of sensors to optimise crop inputs aims to increase production efficiency, resource use and ultimaltely crop yields. This in turn can increase food availability, reduce food costs and increase access to healthy food sources for consumers.

Planetary impact

The use of sensors to optimise crop inputs can improve soil health, minimise environmental pollution from agricultural areas, and prevent leaching and runoff of nutrients that can cause environmental degradation.

Equity impact

Sensors targeting crop input and resource use optimization can ultimately increase food availability, reduce food costs and increase access to healthy food sources for consumers. As these kinds of solutions are made more affordable and accessible around the world, more producers at all scales will be able to magage their on-farm resources more effectively and therefore translate farming efficiency into both healither diets while managing planetary resources in more sustainable ways.

Main concerns

There are initial and maintenance costs associated with the sensors that may be cost prohibitive for some users, particularly those in LMIC countries and limited resource settings. Some sensors require connection to electricity and the internet to be used, which also could be prohibitive for some users. Sensors may malfunction, break down, or be hacked, which could result in high losses. There are also privacy and ownership issues associated with collection of large amounts of data.

Supply chain segment

Agricultural inputs and primary production practices

Maturity level

Moving to scale

Criteria

Food availability Water use Soil health Reducing pollution

SDG target

SDG 1: No Poverty SDG 2: Zero Hunger SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 14: Life Below Water SDG 15: Life on Land

Context

Peri-urban Rural

Examples and additional resources

Real-world examples

See this solution in action in different contexts and settings around the world

Soil water sensor system

Business information

The Chameleon soil water sensor system remotely notifies farmers of their crop's soil water levels, and helps them make decisions that significantly boost their crop yields

Australia Spain Ethiopia Fiji Ghana Indonesia India Kiribati Lesotho Myanmar Malawi Mozambique New Zealand Papua New Guinea Pakistan Swaziland Tonga Tuvalu Tanzania, United Republic of Samoa South Africa Zimbabwe

via.farm/.../

Shared by PRE-LAUNCH RESEARCH TEAM

Additional resources

Learn more about this solution through studies, articles, business cases, and other information

Seeds of Silicon: Internet of Things for Smallholder Agriculture

Scientific paper

Challenges and opportunities of sensor technology (access to components,
sensor calibration, device design, access to advice and expertise) for smallholder farmers

d-lab.mit.edu/sites/d...03_0.pdf