Development of a solar powered smart irrigation control system Kit

Abstract

The adverse effects of climate change and climate variability are hindering agricultural productivity in developing countries. When combined with the laborious nature of irrigated agriculture, many smallholder farmers in these countries abandon irrigation systems or occasionally fail to implement an irrigation event due to other commitments. Therefore, this necessitates smart technology advances in agriculture to deal with irrigated agriculture problems of energy use efficiency, cost, water conservation, and drudgery. This study aimed at developing a mobile solar-powered control system for real-time scheduling using feedback from soil moisture sensors. A smart solar-powered irrigation control system (Smart Irri-Kit) was developed to schedule and automate water delivery to crops based on soil moisture levels. Itincorporates an automated tank water level control system that triggers pump activation during irrigation. The Kit was designed, fabricated, programmed, and field tested at Makerere University Agricultural Research Station Kabanyolo, using sandy clay loam soil. In this study, efficient irrigation scheduling and relay of soil moisture updates to the farmers were achieved. The Smart Irri-Kit soil moisture sensors were able to detect soil moisture with no significant difference from the gravimetric method. The development of the solar-powered Smart Irri-Kit presents a sustainable and automated solution for optimizing irrigation practices, contributing to water conservation and improved crop yield. The integration of solar power enhances its autonomy and reduces operational costs. Future research directions include the incorporation of weather parameters and advanced communication capabilities for remote monitoring and control. Overall, the Smart Irri-Kit holds great potential in promoting efficient and sustainable irrigation practices in agriculture