Description:

The Smart Irrigation Decision Support Tool is a data-driven platform designed to help farmers and agricultural managers optimize water usage for crops by providing real-time irrigation recommendations.
The system uses weather forecasts, soil moisture readings, crop water requirements, and historical irrigation patterns to decide when, how much, and where to irrigate.
By reducing water wastage and ensuring crops receive the right amount of water, this tool promotes sustainable farming and higher crop yields.

Key Features:

1. Soil Moisture Monitoring – Uses IoT sensors or manual data entry to track soil water content.

2. Weather-Aware Irrigation – Integrates weather forecasts to avoid over-watering before rain.

3. Crop-Specific Water Requirement Analysis – Calculates water needs based on crop growth stages.

4. Automated Scheduling – Generates optimal irrigation schedules.

5. Water Usage Tracking – Monitors daily, weekly, and seasonal water consumption.

6. Interactive Dashboard – Displays soil moisture maps, water usage graphs, and recommendations.

7. Mobile Notifications – Alerts farmers when irrigation is needed or skipped.

8. Integration with Smart Pumps (Optional) – Automates irrigation hardware.

Technology Stack:

• Backend: Node.js / Java / PHP (handles data processing and recommendation logic)

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript (for dashboards and maps)

• Database: MySQL / MongoDB / PostgreSQL (stores sensor data, crop info, weather logs)

• Data Science Layer: Python (pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn for prediction models)

• APIs: OpenWeatherMap API, SoilGrids API, FAO crop water requirement datasets

• IoT Integration (Optional): Soil moisture sensors, weather stations, smart irrigation controllers

Example Use Case:

• A farmer in Maharashtra grows sugarcane, which requires precise water management.

• The system receives soil moisture data from field sensors, weather predictions showing no rainfall for the next week, and crop water needs from FAO datasets.

• The tool calculates that irrigating for 3 hours tomorrow morning will optimize growth while saving 15% water compared to the farmer’s traditional method.

• The farmer gets a mobile alert with the exact schedule and water volume needed.