IoT-Based Soil Condition Monitoring System for Supporting Precision and Sustainable Agriculture in West Java

Abstract

West Java Province is one of the largest horticultural producers in Indonesia. The horticulture subsector in West Java covers tens of thousands of hectares of farmland and contributes approximately 1.8% to the province’s total Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP). However, this sector faces serious challenges. Climate change has increased the frequency of droughts and floods, disrupting horticultural production. In addition, soil fertility has declined due to unsustainable farming practices; many agricultural lands in West Java contain less than 2% organic matter as a result of long-term chemical fertilizer use. These challenges have led to decreased productivity and threaten the sustainability of horticultural farming. Precision agriculture emerges as a solution to these issues. This concept leverages IoT technologies such as the ESP32 microcontroller with SPIFFS, soil sensors, and a web-based dashboard to monitor land conditions in real time and manage inputs more efficiently. The IoT-based soil monitoring system developed in this study was tested in a farmer’s yard in Pameungpeuk Subdistrict, Garut. The results demonstrated practical benefits, including improved irrigation efficiency (up to ~30% water savings) and reduced risk of crop losses through early detection of drought conditions. Moreover, the application of IoT in potato cultivation in West Java has been shown to double seed tuber yields from 15,000 to 30,000 tubers. These findings are consistent with regional policy directions, as reflected in the West Java Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) and the “Petani Milenial” (Millennial Farmers) program, which promote sustainable agricultural modernization through IoT-based technologies to enhance the productivity of young farmers.