Implementation of an ESP32-Based ESP-NOW Node Network for Smart Agriculture Monitoring and Irrigation Control

Abstract

Modern agriculture faces challenges such as water wastage, unpredictable weather conditions, lack of real-time monitoring, and dependence on manual irrigation methods. To address these issues, this paper presents a smart agriculture monitoring and irrigation control system based on the ESP32 microcontroller using ESP-NOW wireless communication. The proposed system consists of one main control node and two sensor nodes placed in the agricultural field to monitor parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, rainfall, and motion. Based on predefined threshold values, the irrigation system automatically controls the water pump to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency. The collected sensor data is transmitted wirelessly to the main node using ESP-NOW and then uploaded to a cloud platform through Wi-Fi for remote monitoring using a mobile application. The system is powered by solar energy with a rechargeable Li-ion battery backup, making it suitable for remote and off-grid agricultural areas. Experimental results demonstrate reliable sensing, stable multi-node operation, efficient wireless communication, and effective automatic irrigation control, making the proposed model an affordable, scalable, and energy-efficient solution for smart agriculture.