Agriculture has played a significant role in the economic and social development of communities around the world. In recent years, there has been an increasing need to optimize agricultural practices, given the growing global demand for food. IoT-based systems for smart agriculture are a promising way to achieve this optimization while improving productivity, enhancing yield quality, conserving resources, and reducing environmental impact. This paper offers a comprehensive review of IoT technologies used in smart agriculture, highlighting benefits and challenges associated with its application.

IoT-based systems for smart agriculture leverage sensors and other devices to collect data on various aspects of crop behavior, including soil moisture, temperature, light intensity, pest infestation, and more. This data is analyzed using machine learning algorithms or artificial intelligence, providing insights into important metrics such as growth rates, flowering time or optimal harvest season. With this information, farmers can optimize their crop production, reduce inputs, prevent crop loss, and operate effectively to achieve maximum profitability with lower environmental footprint.

IoT technologies have several applications in agriculture, including precision farming, aquaponics, and vertical farming. Precision farming involves the use of sensor networks and drones for data collection about crops and field conditions which improve crop maturity timing or monitor irrigation levels, pesticide applications, fertilizer use, and sow densities based on the requisite crop needs. Aquaponics refers to indoor recirculating aquaculture that produces fish and plant crops hydroponically, and uses IoT technology to manage feed, nutrient supplements, water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels and other parameters critical to successful farm operations. Vertical farming represents modern farming techniques, utilizing artificial lighting strategies and innovations in plant breeding techniques or biotechnology, enabling year-round crop production with reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared with traditional farming methods.

IoT-based systems offer significant benefits such as improved productivity, higher energy efficiency water conservation and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, providing crucial sustainability on an industry level. Real-time remote monitoring of the crops’ environmental conditions saves costs associated with labor and input supplies, accurately predicting growth patterns and harvest times by use of machine learning algorithms. IoT-driven precision agriculture allows farmers to reduce waste, optimize resources and increase yields output while protecting soil health and ecological balance.

Despite the numerous benefits of IoT-based systems in agriculture, several challenges need addressing before they become a widespread practice. Significant investment is required to set up an IoT-based smart agricultural network, which may be unaffordable for smaller-scale farmers. Additionally, associated cybersecurity challenges relating to data privacy represent a considerable challenge. The risk of vulnerability attack by unauthorized gateways or outside threats accessing sensitive information, along with integrating diverse devices from several sources also results in additional challenges for IoT integration.

The future of IoT-based systems in agriculture looks promising. There is a growing interest in developing sustainable farming practices that focusing on regenerative cultivation techniques, conserving natural ecosystems while improving inputs for better crop yield management in a more cost-effective manner. Hence, these innovative digital technologies and smart devices will enable a more sophisticated approach to agricultural management through better connectivity, remotely analyzing irrigation, soil, plant quality and other variable factors affecting crop growth; ultimately yielding healthier, more resilient and productive plants.

IoT-based systems for smart agriculture are a rapidly evolving field and demonstrate impressive potential for improving productivity, reducing input costs along with environmental impact, and enhancing food security at large. The application of IoT-based technology in agriculture can enhance farm management, crop yield, and reduce environmental impact from conventional farming practices and reduce the risk factors involved in traditional cultivation methods. While associated challenges such as high investment costs and cybersecurity concerns remain, farming will continue to benefit from incorporating IoT technology into agricultural practices. Smart agriculture powered by IoT holds immens