Imagine a world where farmers can monitor their plants as simply as they look at their emails or scroll the social media. Imagine farms where the crops can communicate with the farmer and "speak" when it's time to water them or provide nutrients. 

This isn't only something from science fiction—it's the real examples of IoT in farming, changing how we do agriculture and adding a new layer of smartness to our fields. Like how we utilize gadgets to make our everyday lives easier, IoT technology is changing agriculture to "smart farming." 

Today, TetaLab company will look at the fundamental aspects of IoT in agriculture and smart farming and see how IoT technology can help transform your agriculture business. No matter how others resist, the use of IoT has already penetrated the agriculture sector.

7 Ways to Use IoT in Agriculture

If you want to know how IoT impacts farming, you should read the following info. Long years ago, the age-old practice of agriculture included 3 basic elements: soil, water, and weather. But we have a new player, the Internet of Things. So, what exactly is the use of IoT in agriculture? 

  1. Data-driven Decisions

In the past, farming was mainly guided by experience and intuition. But today, we have sensors that gather real-time data about temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and even light day. This information is pretty enough to make choices regarding irrigation and fertilization to enhance soil quality and control pest problems.

  1. Precision Farming

Do you want each meter of your farmland monitored and handled precisely? Farmers gather data about soil, temperature, humidity, and nutrient content using IoT sensors all over the field. Later, this information is studied to optimize when to water crops or adjust fertilizers. Agricultural IoT solutions also predict harvest amounts with unmatched accuracy.

  1. Smart Irrigation Systems

Lack of water is a severe problem in numerous areas worldwide, so managing water efficiently is crucial. Smart irrigation systems connected to the Internet of Things use sensors to keep track of soil moisture and weather circumstances. They automatically change watering plans according to these factors, ensuring crops get enough hydration without wasting extra water. This helps save water and enhances crops' health and production.

  1. Drone Use

Drones with IoT sensors and cameras are revolutionizing crop control. Farmers can survey large fields in minutes for hints of disease or bug invasion, enabling quick action and reducing harm. Additionally, drones are good for precise spraying, lessening pesticide use, and environmental impact.

  1. Crop and Pest Control

Finding pests early to guard crop yields and reduce losses is crucial. As we already said, drones with the IoT can fly over significant sections of farmland, looking for signs of pest harm or disease spread through their cameras and sensors. This information may be analyzed to identify particular regions for the use of pesticides, decreasing the necessity for complete spraying while also lessening environmental effectiveness.

  1. Supply Chain Management

IoT technology assists in moving goods from the farm to the dinner table. They ensure that agricultural products move smoothly and effectively from those who make them to those who buy them. By using RFID tags and sensors, farmers can monitor where their goods are and their state at every step of the supply chain, giving us a clear view of their journey and history. This not only reduces food waste but also enhances food safety and quality assurance.

  1. Predictive Analytics

Fast climatic changes and intense weather can make farming work hard. Frequently, the weather forecasts that we receive are quite generic in nature and do not provide specific details. IoT devices for weather and sensors can check the climate and gather numbers on how hot or cold it is, wetness in the air, how fast the wind goes, and the possibility of rain. So, farmers have an essential understanding of the weather. The information can be utilized to choose crops carefully, decide when to plant, and determine the best time to harvest, which lessens the adverse effects of bad weather on crop production.

There are many others ways of using IoT in agriculture, and there really could be countless opportunities.

What are the benefits of IoT Technology in Agriculture?


The technology of IoT in agriculture is like a fresh breeze, changing conventional methods into smart and modern techniques.

  • IoT boosts the data-driven decisions. Now, with a network of sensors that collect real-time data regarding soil conditions, weather patterns, and plant health, farmers can also make decisions based on this information.

  • IoT saves resources and goes green. Sensors for water and fertilizer help lessen runoff, which can be damaging to the environment. Precision irrigation and fertilization, based on sensor data, can help reduce the amount of runoff and limit the environmental impact.

  • IoT helps in remote monitoring. Farmers can use IoT devices to observe the conditions of their crops from a distant place and check their health. Monitoring saves time and effort and allows quick action to prevent crop losses.

  • IoT enhances crop protection. IoT sensors can work like watchers, anticipating signs of pests or diseases. This enables focused actions, lessening the need for general pesticides and safeguarding valuable harvests from harm.

  • IoT makes things faster and cheaper. Automating jobs using IoT means less time and money are needed. These new ideas also save farmers time. They no longer have to do everything on their own.

What are the disadvantages of smart farming using IoT?


IoT holds great promise for agriculture, but it also has some potential drawbacks that must be considered.

  • The cost of IoT technology can be high. Sensors, tools for data analysis, and probable infrastructure improvements may require significant investment, particularly for smaller farms.

  • Some technical skills are needed for IoT to work and be useful. Farmers might need to learn about the data that sensors create and how they can use it to make good decisions.

  • IoT gadgets make cybersecurity problems and data leaks more serious. The large amount of data collected by IoT sensors is a privacy concern. Hackers could use weak points in IoT systems to disturb farm work or put important information at risk.

  • IoT is crucial for farm data collection but not a comprehensive solution. Traditional farming knowledge and experience still have their place in this changing world. Too much reliance on technology might weaken our farms if the systems stop working.

  • The standardization of IoT platforms is not fully universal. Farmers could become dependent on certain vendors, which might restrict their options and possibly increase expenses.

  • IoT's Impacts on the Environment. Even though IoT supports sustainability, we need to consider how making and disposing of sensors affects the environment. The process of producing, deploying, and disposing of Internet of Things devices might affect energy usage, e-waste production, and carbon emissions.

Nevertheless, the potential advantages of IoT in farming are hard to ignore. As technology becomes more affordable, user-friendly, and secure, we can gradually tackle the abovementioned issues.

Challenges and Solutions in Implementing IoT in Agriculture


So, we have come closer to understanding the challenges and solutions of implementing IoT in agriculture. The use of IoT in the agriculture sector causes difficulties, such as places that are far away from civilization, not having stable WiFi, severe weather harming the hardware, big fields making system coverage difficult, and less electricity access. But new answers are coming up. For example, LoRa devices offer communication over a long distance for wide-ranging fields, even if they are not close to usual WiFi sources. Solar power provides consistent electricity, and weatherproof hardware with protective coatings can endure through the elements. The availability of remote admin dashboards and access allows farmers to observe from anywhere and decide, removing the necessity for them to be physically present at all times in their fields. After all, farmers are people too and want to have free time. These improvements are creating a path towards a time when intelligent farming will flourish in even far-off and challenging conditions.

Examples of IoT solutions for agriculture


IoT devices are transforming agriculture by providing innovative solutions to various farming challenges. Here are some examples of IoT devices you can use in farming currently:

Soil Moisture Sensors 

Some examples of soil moisture sensors are Decagon's GS3 sensor, Decagon Devices EC5 & Tensiometers, Veris PH and EC Meter & Spad Meter, and Sentek's EnviroSCAN soil moisture probe.

Weather Stations

For example, Davis Instruments' Vantage Pro2, Sensirion Sensors, and AcuRite's Atlas weather stations. Popular brands include La Crosse Technology, AcuRite, and Ambient Weather. In addition, companies such as Davis Instruments, Gill Instruments, and METER Group provide similar solutions.

Crop Monitoring Cameras 

Arable's Mark 2 crop monitoring system and CropX's Crop Monitoring Camera are examples of modern farm technology. Additionally, brands like Reolink and Arlo provide weatherproof network cameras suitable for agricultural use.

Automated Irrigation Systems

Examples include Netafim's NetBeat™ Smart Irrigation Controller and Rain Bird's IQ4™ Central Control System.

Drone Technology

Examples of agricultural drones include DJI's Agras T20 and T30 and Parrot's Bluegrass Fields. LiDAR drones, such as the senseFly eBee X, are also used in agriculture.

Smart Sprayers

Some examples of these tools are John Deere's ExactApply™ Intelligent Sprayer, TeeJet's AI3070-GPS Precision Sprayer Control System, Bosch Smart Sprayer, Ag Leader SureSpray™ Auto Nozzle Control, and Hagie IntelliSpray™. Agricultural drones such as the Yamaha RMAX and DJI Agras MG-1S are also equipped with spray nozzles and tanks to enable precision spraying.

Of course, such IoT devices help farmers achieve higher yields, reduced costs, and sustainable farming practices through actionable insights, increased efficiency, and improved decision-making capabilities. Tetalab specialists have a similar experience; we`ve already worked on similar projects and created automated greenhouse system prototypes.


Future of IoT in the Agriculture Industry

According to the last Statista research:

  • Smart equipment used in the agriculture sector, including IoT Solutions for Farmers, increase by about 240 percent from 2021 to 2027. 

  • The global market for smart agriculture is expected to grow to 33 billion U.S. dollars by 2027, compared to 20 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. 

Considering this and other available information, as well as the fact that the world's population continues to grow and the number of cultivated fertile lands does not increase, the need for smart and efficient farming driving will only grow. Your agriculture business can win even more by creating custom IoT solutions when the available pre-made ones fall short.

Therefore, the integration of IoT in agriculture is definitely no longer some fictitious service that they want to sell to you to cheat you out of money. Logically, your farming business requires IoT sensors to stay effective and viable.