Smart Soil Monitoring Systems: Challenges and Strategic Solutions for Enhanced Adoption
Abstract
Smart Soil Monitoring Systems (SSMS) represent a key innovation in precision agriculture, enabling continuous monitoring of soil parameters such as moisture, pH, nutrient content, temperature, and salinity. These systems integrate Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, wireless sensor networks, and data analytics to provide real-time insights that support data-driven decision-making, optimize resource use, and enhance crop productivity. Despite their potential, the adoption of SSMS in developing institutions, including Federal Polytechnic Bali (FPB), remains limited due to financial constraints, inadequate technical skills, low awareness, and infrastructural challenges such as unreliable internet connectivity and power supply. The high cost of devices, lack of training, and insufficient institutional policies further impede practical implementation in teaching, research, and extension activities. This study employed a descriptive survey design targeting academic and technical staff in FPB’s agricultural departments. Data collected via a structured questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with mean scores indicating key challenges and potential strategies. Findings revealed that high device costs, poor network infrastructure, and low technical capacity were the most critical barriers. To address these, respondents emphasized capacity-building workshops, improved digital infrastructure, awareness campaigns, funding support, and policy frameworks as strategic interventions. The study concludes that enhancing SSMS adoption requires integrated solutions addressing economic, technical, and institutional barriers. Implementation of these strategies is expected to strengthen hands-on learning, improve research outputs, and promote sustainable, technology-driven agriculture at FPB. The study contributes to understanding practical adoption challenges of smart agricultural technologies in resource-constrained educational settings.