Challenges of IoT in agriculture

There may be a lack of awareness of the potential benefits of IoT in agriculture among farmers and other industry professionals. IoT technology can be used to improve crop yields, optimize water usage, and monitor soil and weather conditions. However, many farmers may not be familiar with IoT technology or may not have the resources to implement it on their farms. Additionally, there may be concerns about the cost and complexity of implementing IoT solutions.

Another reason for lack of awareness could be the lack of IoT-specific educational programs and training opportunities for agriculture professionals. This makes it difficult for them to stay current on the latest developments and best practices in IoT for agriculture.

To overcome this lack of awareness, there could be more efforts made to educate farmers and other agriculture professionals about the benefits of IoT and how to implement it on their farms. Additionally, providing more training and educational opportunities in IoT for agriculture can help professionals stay current on the latest developments in the field.

With a thriving global population expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the agricultural sector must evolve to meet demand, despite adverse environmental conditions and climate change. To meet the needs of a growing population, the agricultural industry will need to use innovative technologies to gain a much-needed advantage. Agricultural applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) will enable industry to improve operational productivity, reduce expenses, reduce waste and increase the quality of output.

IoT-based smart agriculture is a system designed to monitor farmland using sensors (soil moisture, humidity, light, temperature, etc.) and automate irrigation practices. Farmers can observe field conditions from anywhere. For example, it will notify the farmer when the soil moisture level is low; the farmer can use the sensors to start irrigation. Smart farming based on IoT is very efficient compared to traditional methods.

Precision farming is the most common application of IoT in agriculture. It makes farming practices more accurate and well-planned by including processes such as real-time monitoring of soil and crop conditions, plant health monitoring, and weather forecasting. Farmers can administer their fields based on the detailed information obtained from this system. In addition, using mobile devices, high-speed internet and durable and inexpensive satellites (for imaging and positioning), the integrated IoT artificial intelligence system can deliver alerts and data to day to optimize crop growth processes and reduce yield losses. Due to pests, harmful soil moisture level or weather damage. This cultivation method ensures an accurate use of resources and increases the productivity of the field while maintaining the sustainability of the process.

Irrigation systems equipped with IoT not only conserve water, but also ensure that crops receive the right amount of water for their optimal growth. This method of irrigation is based on the moisture level of the soil rather than watering at predetermined intervals.

Many organizations are exploiting this technology around the world. GIKS India is an IT company builds apps and web systems that connect all the participants of smart environment by integrating satellite, weather and IoT analysis with the agricultural sector to help farmers' financial security and crop insurance. The company has mobile applications to provide information on providing statistics on crops and crop stress in their area. It helps you decide what to plant, when to water or add fertilizer, or prepare to harvest. 

However, the implementation of this technology poses its own unique challenges in India, especially for farmers who own small land holdings and are in rural areas without decent internet connectivity and adequate infrastructure, without which advanced surveillance systems are unnecessary.  The high cost of IoT equipment and its complexity can also discourage farmers from modest backgrounds.

Therefore, strategic and systematic IoT application plans and supporting government programs are needed to adopt these smart agriculture technologies and approve their implementation. If successful, it will undoubtedly boost the economy of the agricultural sector. Therefore, advancing agriculture through digital transformation should be of paramount importance in India.