International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Angel Y, Chendur M, Mothi Bala S, Sanjay Kumar S and Gunaseelan K

abstract
Urbanization has led to a significant reduction in cultivable land, pushing cities to explore sustainable alternatives such as rooftop gardening to ensure local food production and green coverage. While rooftop gardening offers numerous environmental and social benefits, maintaining these gardens manually introduces several operational challenges. These include inconsistent watering schedules, overuse of water resources, inefficient nutrient distribution, and the increased time and labor required for maintenance. Such issues not only compromise plant health and yield but also reduce the overall efficiency and sustainability of urban gardening systems. To address these problems, this project presents a fully integrated Internet of Things-based automated irrigation system specifically designed for rooftop gardening applications. The proposed system employs a soil moisture sensor to continuously monitor the hydration status of the soil and electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids sensors to assess the concentration of essential nutrients in the irrigation water. A microcontroller serves as the system’s central processing unit, analyzing sensor data in real time to determine whether irrigation or nutrient supplementation is required. Based on the sensor feedback, the microcontroller activates a water pump to deliver water and nutrients only, when necessary, thereby reducing waste and promoting optimal plant growth. The system is powered entirely by a solar panel, ensuring energy efficiency and eliminating dependency on the conventional power grid. It incorporates Bluetooth connectivity, allowing real-time monitoring and control via a user-friendly mobile application. Users can view moisture and nutrient levels, receive automated alerts, and even schedule irrigation cycles based on plant-specific requirements. This level of automation and remote control significantly reduces manual effort while enhancing precision in garden management. The design is scalable and cost-effective, making it applicable to a wide range of setups including rooftop gardens, vertical farms, and greenhouse operations. Initial testing has validated its functionality, reliability, and ease of use. The system has also been presented at an international conference, garnering interest for its innovative approach, and is currently undergoing the publication process. Overall, this project offers a practical and sustainable solution to improve food production in urban environments through smart gardening technologies.