Smart water management for agricultural crops on islands: integrating IoT, machine learning, and circular economy

Abstract

A conceptual view of the design of the IoT and desalination system. Water scarcity represents one of the greatest challenges for sustainable agriculture in island environments, where climate change exacerbates drought conditions. This study focuses on optimizing water management for agricultural crops on islands using advanced Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies. By deploying IoT sensors, real-time data is collected to monitor parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, and rainfall, which are used to estimate irrigation requirements. These data are analyzed using machine learning algorithms to predict the necessary water quantities, achieving maximum crop yield with minimal waste. Furthermore, this study investigates the application of circular economy solutions, such as water recycling and reuse, combined with desalination processes to meet increased water demands. The aim is to develop sustainable and efficient strategies to secure adequate water resources for irrigation while promoting sustainability and reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. The expected outcomes will provide new directions for adopting ‘smart’ irrigation methods, contributing to water management under conditions of climate uncertainty and limited resources, while enhancing the resilience of island communities to the impacts of climate change.