The applications of IoT network to enhance farming at Al-Aziziah Palm Trees Farm in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This paper explores the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to reduce high water consumption and attached operational costs in date palm farming at Al-Aziziah Palm Trees Farm in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Conventional irrigation practices often lead to inefficient water use and elevated expenses, particularly from the diesel-powered water pumps. To overcome this, an on-farm living lab was deployed using Internet of Things (IoT) network for real-time sensor monitoring, where collected data is analysed using cloud analytics to enable data-driven decision-making with enhanced water efficiency. Findings demonstrate that this IoT-based system can significantly enhance irrigation accuracy for 45% reduction in water pump usage, and consequently, a notable decrease in diesel fuel consumption. The cost model developed in this study estimates significant potential savings per year. This paper presents a replicable framework for deploying IoT technologies in large-scale date palm farms, promoting economic and environmental benefits of sustainable farming practices in Saudi Arabia and similar arid regions.