Internet of Things in Agriculture

Bartes Razvan, Clapou Alexandru

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords: The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a paradigm shift in connecting physical devices to the
Internet of Things digital realm, fostering seamless communication and data exchange. In the agricultural sector, IoT
IoT applications are revolutionizing traditional farming practices through the integration of sensors,
smart agriculture actuators, and data analytics. This transformation, known as IoT in agriculture, encompasses precision
IoT in agriculture farming techniques, livestock monitoring, smart irrigation systems, supply chain management.By
leveraging real-time data on soil conditions, crop health, and environmental factors, farmers can make
informed decisions, optimize resource usage, and enhance overall productivity.

1. Systematic literature review (SLR) 2.3. Protocol definition

Internet of Things (IoT) in Agriculture is comparable to
a structured network system responsible for gathering data
transmitted from various interconnected "smart" devices
through the internet.
Cloud-based devices equipped with sensors communi-
cate with each other, forming an interconnected ecosystem.
In recent times, IoT applications have significantly impacted
the agricultural sector, leading to advancements in precision
farming and smart agriculture practices.
This paper conducts a systematic literature review, fol-
lowing the methodology outlined by Kitchenham and Char-
ters (2007), to explore the utilization of IoT in agriculture
and the devices designed to enhance farming practices.
2. Study design
Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects or
groups of such objects. These objects are equipped with
sensors, processing capabilities and software to exchange
data with other devices and systems through various com-
munication networks.
Our main focus is on IoT applications in agriculture and
its potential usage in this field. As a result, we exclude the
studies that addressed IoT in other domains.
3. Conducting the SLR
3.1. Search and selection process
Our review follows the procedure outlined by Kitchen-
ham and Charters (2007). We identified a set of re- search
questions derived from the objective of this review which
we previously presented

2.1. Review need identification 3.1.1. Database search

This systematic literature study aims to provide an
overview of the state-of-the-art for IoT in agriculture as
of right now. The topic of choice is IoT applications in
agriculture, with a particular focus on devices and apps. The
motivation for this topic stems from the increasing potential
of IoT in various fields, including agriculture. The study aims
to explore how IoT devices contribute to more efficient and
sustainable farming practices.
Furthermore, the agriculture sector, in general, derives
significant benefits from IoT-enabled devices, as they assist
farmers in efficiently monitoring and managing their farms.
These devices contribute to streamlined agricultural oper-
ations, making it easier for farmers to track and optimize
various aspects of their farming practices.
2.2. Research questions definition
The following research questions served as the basis for
this comprehensive literature review: What is the potential
role of Internet of Things in agriculture? Which Internet of
Things gadgets have been created specifically for farming?
How can IoT be efficiently used in agriculture?
ORCID (s):
We searched for relevant papers based on the above key-
words. As for databases, we chose SciendeDirect, IEEEX-
plore and AgEcon Search. We identified 30 papers according
to our topic of interest.
3.1.2. Merging, and duplicates and impurity removal
After we identified the 30 papers, we filtered them and
excluded the papers that were not in English and/or were not
addressing the role of IoT in Agriculture specifically.
3.1.3. Application of the selection criteria
Based on the papers’s abstract we decided if the topic
is relevant or not for this research. The paper was selected
if the study was about: IoT roles in agriculture and/or IoT
gadgets that can be used for farming and/or examples of good
practices of implementation of IoT in agriculture.
3.2. Data extraction
The final sample consist of 10 articles that addressed
topics such as: the application of IOT to improve Food and
Farming Technology, the potential role of IoT in agriculture
and challenges. 3.2

Bartes Razan, Clapou Alexandru: Preprint submitted to Elsevier Page 1 of 4

 Internet of Things in Agriculture

Id Cite Title, Author Year

IOT agriculture to improve
food and farming technology,
P1 3.3.1. 2017
S. Jaiganesh; K. Gunaseelan;
V. Ellappan
The future of Internet of Things in agriculture:
Plant high-throughput phenotypic platform ,
P2 3.3.2. 2021
Jiangchuan Fan, Ying Zhang,
Weiliang Wen, Shenghao Gu, Xianju Lu, Xinyu Guo
Recent advancements and challenges
P3 3.3.3. of Internet of Things in smart agriculture: 2022
A survey, Bam Bahadur Sinha
An Overview of Internet of Things (IoT)
and Data Analytics in Agriculture:
P4 3.3.4. Benefits and Challenges, Olakunle Elijah; 2018
Tharek Abdul Rahman;
Igbafe Orikumhi; Chee Yen Leow
INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)
P5 3.3.5. AND CLOUD COMPUTING FOR AGRICULTURE, 2012
V.C. Patil, K.A. Al-Gaadi, D. P. Biradar
Internet of things for smart agriculture:
P6 3.3.6. Technologies, practices and future direction, 2017
Ray, Partha Pratim
The Internet of Things in Agriculture
P7 3.3.7. for Sustainable Rural Development, 2015
Nomusa Dlodlo, Josephat Kalezhi
Smart Agriculture and IoT Technology,
P8 3.3.8. 2022
YANG, Jian; LIU, Zhongyou
A Creative IoT agriculture platform
P9 3.3.9. 2020
for cloud fog computing, Tse-Chuan Hsu
Adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture
P10 3.3.10. 2019
and smart farming towards urban greening: A review,

3.3. Data synthesis
3.3.1. IOT agriculture to improve food and farming
technology
This paper focus into the role of the Internet of Things
(IoT) in the Agricultural Sector, exploring the integration of
GPS and sensors for improved communication and data ex-
change among agricultural devices. Emphasizing the bene-
fits of Information Technology (IT), particularly cloud tech-
nology, the study demonstrates how it enhances farmers’
management capabilities in areas such as crop growth, yield
estimation, fertilizer application, and disease prevention.
The application of a cloud-based agro-cloud system is ex-
amined as a catalyst for advancing agricultural techniques,
streamlining communication, reducing costs, and expediting
information exchange.
3.3.2. The future of Internet of Things in agriculture:
Plant high-throughput phenotypic platform
Advancements in sensor, communication, plant, com-
puter, and engineering sciences have propelled Internet of
Things (IoT) in agriculture. Environmental sensor networks,
non-destructive imaging, spectral analysis, and robotics
contribute to a qualitative leap in obtaining continuous plant
phenotypic data. This study explores the genotype–phenotype
–envirotype relationships in the omics system, enabling deep
insights into the formation mechanisms of specific biolog-
ical traits. Utilizing integrated automation platforms, the
research emphasizes the acquisition of multi-scale, multi-
environmental, and multi-mode plant traits, forming big data
on plant phenotypes.
3.3.3. Recent advancements and challenges of Internet
of Things in smart agriculture: A survey
This paper explores the dynamic evolution of the In-
ternet of Things (IoT) as a paradigm for connecting di-
verse smart physical components, aiming at multi-domain
modernization. Focused on minimizing human intervention
in the management and tracking of agricultural lands, the
study explores a number of IoT-based frameworks, offering
a thorough analysis of their key elements, new technologies,
security concerns, difficulties, and potential developments in
the field of agriculture.
3.3.4. An Overview of Internet of Things (IoT) and
Data Analytics in Agriculture: Benefits and
Challenges
The global population surge prompts a shift to smart
agriculture, addressing food security concerns amid dimin-
ishing resources and unpredictable weather. This paper ex-
plores the transition from wireless sensor networks (WSN) to

Bartes Razan, Clapou Alexandru: Preprint submitted to Elsevier Page 2 of 4

 Internet of Things in Agriculture
the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics
(DA), outlining benefits, challenges, and the IoT ecosystem’s
role. The combination of IoT and DA is driving operational
efficiency in agriculture, and the paper outlines future trends
and opportunities across technological innovations, applica-
tion scenarios, business, and marketability.
3.3.5. INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) AND CLOUD
COMPUTING FOR AGRICULTURE
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a transformative tech-
nology shaping the future of computing and communica-
tions, constituting a self-configuring wireless network of
interconnected objects. Global food security hinges on a
unified digital market, future internet, knowledge sharing,
social networks, data protection, and open access to wis-
dom. Wisdom-based systems for agriculture, focusing on
IoT, geomatics, sensor technology, WSN, RFID, and Cloud
Computing, contribute to greener farming with increased
environmental stewardship and economic viability. Despite
technological strides, integrating IoT into agriculture for
online monitoring and managing complex ecosystems de-
mands structured, collaborative efforts.
3.3.6. Internet of things for smart agriculture:
Technologies, practices and future direction
This paper delves into the burgeoning realm of agricul-
tural innovation propelled by the Internet of Things (IoT).
At its early stages, IoT in agriculture demands extensive
experimentation for widespread application across diverse
farming scenarios. The study systematically reviews poten-
tial IoT applications, scrutinizing associated challenges and
issues for effective deployment in farming. A comprehen-
sive analysis of IoT devices and wireless communication
technologies tailored to agricultural contexts is conducted to
meet specific requirements. The paper investigates sensor-
enabled IoT systems, offering intelligent services for en-
hanced farming practices. Through case studies, it explores
existing IoT solutions categorized by deployment parame-
ters, highlighting associated challenges and paving the way
for future improvements and advancements in smart agricul-
ture.
3.3.7. The internet of things in agriculture for
sustainable rural development
This research explores the shared challenges faced by
rural areas in South Africa and Zambia across agriculture,
connectivity, water, transport, health, and education. Focus-
ing on IoT technologies, the study aims to uncover potential
solutions for poverty reduction aligned with the identified
needs in these communities. Emphasizing agriculture, the
paper highlights specific IoT applications for crop farming,
weather forecasting, wildlife management, forestry, live-
stock farming, market identification, and rural financing.
Bartes Razan, Clapou Alexandru: Preprint submitted to Elsevier
3.3.8. Smart Agriculture and IoT Technology
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Inter-
net of Things (IoT) applications in modern agriculture, em-
phasizing achievements and advancements in vertical farm-
ing, hydroponics, and phenotyping. Examining the role of
IoT in agricultural practices, the study explores the potential
and challenges associated with wireless sensors integration
into traditional farming methods. The paper details specific
sensor applications for agriculture and outlines current and
future scenarios and platforms based on IoT. Additionally,
it reviews ongoing research by major technology companies
worldwide, aiming to guide researchers and agricultural en-
gineers in implementing IoT technology for the development
of smart parks.
3.3.9. A Creative IoT agriculture platform for cloud
fog computing
This study introduces an innovative service process
leveraging a cloud computing platform within the Internet of
Things (IoT), enhancing the integration of cloud-to-physical
networking and accelerating IoT computing speed. By fo-
cusing on high-speed computing and remote operations, the
proposed service process facilitates seamless collaboration,
efficiently moving data between Cloud and Fog resources.
The research applies this innovative platform technology
to the realm of cloud agriculture, enabling large-scale data
collection and analysis for automated solutions in agricul-
tural monitoring, pest management, and image analysis.
This approach addresses challenges in large-area automation
construction, particularly in farmland with limited network
resources.
3.3.10. Adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in
agriculture and smart farming towards urban
greening: A review
This study investigates the incorporation of Internet of
Things (IoT) technology in agriculture and farming prac-
tices, aiming to boost productivity and cost-effectiveness
through automation. Examining 60 peer-reviewed scientific
publications spanning 2016-2018, the research focuses on
IoT applications, sensor data collection, and sub-verticals
such as water and crop management. Findings highlight wa-
ter management as the predominant sub-vertical, followed
by crop management and smart farming. Notable sensor data
priorities include environmental temperature and humidity,
with Wi-Fi and mobile technology emerging as the primary
technological choices. The study underscores a significant
emphasis on the agricultural sector compared to farming
and offers valuable insights for the industry to optimize IoT
for enhanced production efficiencies. Future research rec-
ommendations encompass scalability, heterogeneity, system
architecture, data analysis methods, security protocols, and
technological considerations.
4. Results
IoT and cloud technology play a pivotal role in enhancing
farmers’ management capabilities, spanning areas such as
Page 3 of 4
 Internet of Things in Agriculture

crop growth, yield estimation, fertilizer application, and
disease prevention. This integration not only reduces costs
but also expedites information exchange among agricultural
devices. Meanwhile, advancements in sensor technology
and automation platforms contribute to the acquisition of
continuous plant phenotypic data, providing valuable in-
sights into genotype-phenotype-envirotype relationships and
generating extensive big data on plant phenotypes. In the
realm of smart agriculture, the dynamic evolution of IoT
aims at minimizing human intervention in land manage-
ment, exploring various frameworks, technologies, security
concerns, and potential developments across diverse agri-
cultural domains. Furthermore, the integration of IoT and
data analytics in agriculture is driving operational efficiency,
addressing global food security concerns, and outlining the
benefits, challenges, and future trends in technological inno-
vations, application scenarios, business, and marketability.
The transformative potential of IoT, geomatics, sensor tech-
nology, wireless sensor networks (WSN), RFID, and Cloud
Computing in agriculture is highlighted, emphasizing the
need for structured, collaborative efforts to integrate IoT into
agriculture for online monitoring and the management of
complex ecosystems.
contribution details
References
Madushanki, A. A. R., Halgamuge, M. N., Wirasagoda,
W. A. H. S., Syed, A. (2019). Adoption of the Internet
of Things (IoT) in agriculture and smart farming towards
urban greening: A review. International Journal of Ad-
vanced Computer Science and Applications, 10(4), 11-28.
https://doi.org/10.14569/ijacsa.2019.0100402
Othmane Friha, Mohamed Amine Ferrag, Lei Shu, Leandros
Maglaras, and Xiaochan Wang, "Internet of Things for the
Future of Smart Agriculture: A Comprehensive Survey of
Emerging Technologies," IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sinica, vol.
8, no. 4, pp. 718-752, Apr. 2021.
doi: 10.1109/JAS.2021.1003925 shu
Ray, Partha Pratim. ‘Internet of Things for Smart Agricul-
ture: Technologies, Practices and Future Direction’. 1 Jan.
2017 : 395 – 420.
Madushanki, A. A. R., Halgamuge, M. N., Wirasagoda,
W. A. H. S., Syed, A. (2019). Adoption of the Internet
of Things (IoT) in agriculture and smart farming towards
urban greening: A review. International Journal of Ad-
vanced Computer Science and Applications, 10(4), 11-28.
https://doi.org/10.14569/ijacsa.2019.0100402
L. Lambrinos, "Internet of Things in Agriculture: A Deci-
sion Support System for Precision Farming," 2019 IEEE Intl
Conf on Dependable, Autonomic and Secure Computing,
Intl Conf on Pervasive Intelligence and Computing, Intl
Conf on Cloud and Big Data Computing, Intl Conf on Cyber
Science and Technology Congress , Fukuoka, Japan, 2019,
pp. 889-892
J. Ma, X. Zhou, S. Li and Z. Li, "Connecting Agricul-
ture to the Internet of Things through Sensor Networks,"
2011 International Conference on Internet of Things and
4th International Conference on Cyber, Physical and So-
cial Computing, Dalian, China, 2011, pp. 184-187, doi:
10.1109/iThings/CPSCom.2011.32.

S. Jaiganesh, K. Gunaseelan and V. Ellappan, "IOT agricul-

ture to improve food and farming technology," 2017 Confer-
ence on Emerging Devices and Smart Systems (ICEDSS),
Mallasamudram, India, 2017, pp. 260-266,
doi: 10.1109/ICEDSS.2017.8073690.

M. Abbasi, M. H. Yaghmaee and F. Rahnama, "Internet

of Things in agriculture: A survey," 2019 3rd International
Conference on Internet of Things and Applications (IoT),
Isfahan, Iran, 2019, pp. 1-12,
doi: 10.1109/IICITA.2019.8808839.

N. Dlodlo and J. Kalezhi, "The internet of things in agricul-

ture for sustainable rural development," 2015 International
Conference on Emerging Trends in Networks and Computer
Communications (ETNCC), Windhoek, Namibia, 2015, pp.
13-18, doi: 10.1109/ETNCC.2015.7184801.

O. Elijah, T. A. Rahman, I. Orikumhi, C. Y. Leow and M. N.

Hindia, "An Overview of Internet of Things (IoT) and Data
Analytics in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenges," in IEEE
Internet of Things Journal, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 3758-3773, Oct.
2018, doi: 10.1109/JIOT.2018.2844296.

Bartes Razan, Clapou Alexandru: Preprint submitted to Elsevier Page 4 of 4