IoT and Big Data Analytics in Agriculture: A Review of Theory and Practice

Abstract

Slow agricultural growth is a concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India's population still depends on rural employment for a living. Current agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable and India's yields for many agricultural commodities are low. Poorly maintained irrigation systems and almost universal lack of good extension services are among the factors responsible. Farmers' access to markets is hampered by poor roads, rudimentary market infrastructure, and excessive regulation. Under the circumstances, it is high time that India thinks of modernization in agriculture to catch up with other developing countries. Smart Farming is the breakthrough application of science and technology in the field of agriculture. It is the application of technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data analytics to enable farmers to take a much better and informed decision on farming practices and reap large benefits. This chapter is a review of how Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data Analytics is changing the agricultural scenario globally and how developing countries like India can benefit from use of such technology. The chapter also looks at examples of such modern technology based agricultural practices in other Asian and African countries