IoT and field monitoring solutions are reshaping agriculture in 2024

A report by McKinsey suggests that if technological connectivity is successfully implemented in agriculture, the industry could increase the global domestic value by $500 billion within 2030. This would be a 7 to 9% improvement from its expected total.

Industry giants like John Deere, Trimble, and Climate Corporation are at the forefront of utilizing sensors and IoTs to improve farming methods and increase productivity. But it’s not all perfect. Sensors and IoT deployment in farming face some challenges, such as power and connectivity issues in remote locations, concerns regarding the environmental durability of sensors, and ensuring data accuracy to help farmers make informed decisions.

This article details various innovators rising to these challenges with their IoT and field monitoring solutions for agriculture in 2024. 

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TCS developed a more accurate soil health analysis method

The new processor-implemented method TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) developed estimates soil moisture under vegetation using remote sensing. It integrates various parameters (satellite data, soil parameters, and environmental factors) to comprehensively understand soil moisture dynamics in different geographical areas and time intervals.

LG Electronics designed a smarter way to grow plants

The plant cultivation device developed by LG ELECTRONICS INC. is a smart system for growing plants. It has a special cabinet with a mixing tank inside, where water and nutrients are mixed for the plants. 

Sensors within the container check the nutrition content and level of the mix. If these parameter levels are too high or low, the device can automatically drain some mix or add water to make plants grow more efficiently.

This MIT-developed tech can sense pesticide levels in real-time

Agzen Inc. RealCoverage, a technology developed at MIT, is a system for automatically detecting droplet coverage on plant surfaces. 

It measures liquid coverage on plant surfaces by taking pictures of the plants using sensing cameras or thermal imaging devices. The system’s processor then identifies and analyzes parts of the plants covered with liquid. The system can also use environmental data for adaptive changes, and the results can be displayed visually or communicated remotely for additional analysis or monitoring.

Recommended: How Artificial Intelligence Can Detect Pests in Agriculture

This cloud-based irrigation system enhances agriculture’s connectivity.

The existing command systems for agriculture automation use technologies such as Wifi, X10®, Z-Wave®, and Zigbee®. These wireless technologies have limited range and coverage, especially in expansive agricultural fields. Remote or isolated zones may experience connectivity issues, hindering the seamless operation of irrigation systems across the entire farm.

Yangzhou Zhishui Internet of Things Co., Ltd. has developed an intelligent irrigation valve system with cloud-based data storage. This cloud storage protects against security risks by keeping all information encrypted and off-site. 

It uses sensors to measure water pressure, flow, soil moisture, and temperature, which is transmitted to the cloud platform. The platform analyzes this sensor data to determine the state of the irrigation pipeline, identifying faults based on pressure differentials, water flow, and soil conditions. 

Collaborations among innovators in this field

Agxio  and Farming Connect

This collaboration aims to capture valuable data using in-situ Lorawan (Low Power Long Range Wide Area Access Network) sensors to enable real-time monitoring of environmental conditions and provide meaningful insights to farmers.

BASF and Bosch

Bosch combined its high-tech camera sensor technology and software with the advanced digital agronomic decision engine of xarvio Digital Farming Solutions to create a smarter spraying solution. 

Its advanced weed detection capabilities enable this system to use 70% less herbicide volume. It will be integrated into Dammann’s range of intelligent crop protection sprayers.

Bayers and Microsoft

Bayers has partnered with Microsoft to use their Azure Data Manager to securely exchange farm data between their flagship digital farming product, Climate FieldView™, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). 

Reinke and CropX Technologies

CropX has partnered with Reinke to make their platform accessible via the ReinCloud^® app. This cross-platform integration stems from a mutual commitment to simplifying the farmer-grower app experience.

Ams OSRAM and Energous

This collaboration between Ams OSRAM and Energous combines their technologies to develop a wirelessly powered multi-spectral light sensor solution for vertical farming and controlled-environment Agriculture.

Cropx and Zuari Farmhub

CropX announced its partnership with Zuari FarmHub, a leading agritech company in India. The collaboration aims to enhance farming practices through real-time monitoring technology, giving farmers data-driven insights.

Lay’s and Cropin

PepsiCo’s brand “Lay’s” announced a crop—and plot-level predictive intelligence model to help farmers maximize potato yields and quality through functional dashboards on user-friendly mobile apps. This initiative is a part of PepsiCo’s ‘Precision Agriculture’ model for India and is being implemented as a pilot project in demo farms in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Future Outlook

IoT technologies will enable better food traceability, increasing food safety in agriculture. These applications will make crop monitoring, livestock management, climate monitoring, and smart irrigation systems more accessible and efficient. Embedded remote sensing systems improve yield outcomes by collecting soil moisture data, temperature, pesticide levels, etc., and recommending remedial measures. 

Megacorporations are already on the move. It’s time to enter the field and develop innovations of your own.

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Authored By – Suborna and Samriddh, Patent Intelligence