Introduction

This precision agriculture project tackles the challenge of optimizing crop health through intelligent soil monitoring and automated irrigation. The system uses an ESP32 microcontroller to continuously monitor soil moisture levels and environmental conditions (temperature and humidity) using dedicated sensors. When soil moisture drops below a configurable threshold (~25%), the system automatically activates the irrigation pump to maintain optimal growing conditions. Real-time data is logged to Firebase for remote monitoring, and email alerts are sent via Mailjet API for critical conditions, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions for improved crop yield.

System Overview

Aim and Objectives

Aim:
Design and develop an IoT-based soil monitoring and management system for real-time crop health optimization and automated irrigation.

Objectives:

• Monitor real-time soil moisture levels using analog soil moisture sensors.
• Measure ambient temperature and humidity with the GXHTC3 sensor for environmental context.
• Automate irrigation pump control based on configurable soil moisture thresholds.
• Send email notifications via Mailjet API for critical soil condition alerts.
• Log all sensor data to Firebase Realtime Database for remote monitoring and historical analysis.
• Display real-time system status on a 20x4 LCD for local field monitoring.

Features & Deliverables

• Automated Irrigation: Water pump activates automatically when soil moisture drops below threshold (~25%).
• Real-Time Soil Monitoring: Continuous analog soil moisture measurement for accurate readings.
• Environmental Sensing: GXHTC3 sensor tracks temperature and humidity for holistic crop environment data.
• Email Alerts: Mailjet API integration sends email notifications for critical soil conditions.
• Cloud Dashboard: Firebase Realtime Database enables remote monitoring from any internet-connected device.
• Visual Indicators: LED indicators for moisture status, temperature alerts, pump status, and WiFi connectivity.
• LCD Display: 20x4 LCD shows real-time soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and pump status.
• Buzzer Alerts: Audible notifications for critical conditions requiring attention.

Process / Methodology

Hardware Assembly

Components: ESP32, Soil Moisture Sensor, GXHTC3 Temperature/Humidity Sensor, 20x4 LCD (I2C), Water Pump Relay, LEDs (Moisture, Temperature, Pump, WiFi), Buzzer, Power Supply.

• Connected soil moisture sensor to ESP32 analog input (GPIO 36) for moisture level reading.
• Integrated GXHTC3 sensor via I2C for temperature and humidity measurement.
• Configured relay module for automated water pump control.

Software Development

• Developed firmware in Arduino IDE with WiFi connectivity and Firebase integration.
• Implemented soil moisture threshold logic for automated pump activation and deactivation.
• Programmed Mailjet API integration for email alert notifications.
• Created LCD display routines for real-time data visualization.

Testing & Calibration

• Calibrated soil moisture sensor readings against known moisture levels.
• Tested pump activation/deactivation at various moisture thresholds.
• Validated email delivery and Firebase data synchronization.

Challenges & Solutions

• Challenge: Soil moisture sensor readings varying with soil type and compaction.
  Solution: Implemented calibration routines and configurable thresholds to adapt to different soil conditions.
• Challenge: Maintaining reliable WiFi connectivity in outdoor agricultural settings.
  Solution: Implemented WiFi reconnection logic and local data buffering for intermittent connectivity.
• Challenge: Power management for outdoor deployment.
  Solution: Optimized code for low power consumption with sleep modes between sensor readings.

Results & Impact

• Automated Irrigation: Reduced water waste by activating pump only when soil moisture is genuinely low.
• Data-Driven Farming: Historical data from Firebase enabled informed decisions about watering schedules.
• Remote Monitoring: Farmers could monitor field conditions from anywhere via the cloud dashboard.
• Crop Health Improvement: Consistent soil moisture maintenance led to healthier plant growth patterns.

Future Enhancements

• Add soil pH and nutrient sensors for comprehensive soil health monitoring.
• Integrate weather API data for predictive irrigation scheduling.
• Implement solar-powered operation for fully autonomous field deployment.
• Develop mobile app with push notifications and historical analytics.

Demonstration / Access

• GitHub Repository: Coming soon
• Live Demonstration Video: Coming soon

Thank You for Visiting My Portfolio

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to explore my portfolio and learn about my work and expertise. If you have any questions or wish to discuss potential collaborations, please feel free to reach out via the Contact section.

Best regards,
Damilare Lekan, Adekeye.