Long Range Low Power Sensor Networks for Agricultural Monitoring - A Case Study in Kenya

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a sensor system capable of monitoring parameters of interest in greenhouses and open fields with the aim of improving efficiency in food production. The sensors we deploy measure soil moisture, soil temperature, ambient temperature and relative humidity and transmit these parameters to a server over a Long Range wide area network (LoRaWAN) which exploits the long range low power LoRa protocol. We report the results of a field test conducted in central Kenya and show that our system can accurately measure parameters of interest and provide alerts to farmers.