Smart Farming Technologies Project

Smart Farming Technologies Project
Project Topic:
Based on the given farm scenario below implement smart farming technologies in a farm in Singapore to optimize production and/or operations.
Farm Scenario:
• Greenhouse, land-based farm
• Facility Area: 0.7 ha
• 1 farm manager and 3 farm operators
• 6 sets of hydroponic systems (nutrient film technique [NFT]), each equipped with cultivation channels, a pump and a nutrient tank
• Manual top up of water/nutrient solution into nutrient tank twice a week
• Using off-the-shelf A&B nutrient solution (N:P:K value of 11:6:15)
• pH and EC adjusted manually twice a week to pH 6 and 1.5 mS/cm respectively
• Manual seeding on sponge
• About 2 weeks after seeding, germinated seedlings are manually transplanted to channels
• Monitoring of crop growth and scouting of pest done manually by trained farm workers
• Checking, identification and counting of insects on yellow sticky traps
• Physical examination of symptoms on crops, if any
• Harvest done daily
• Worker will disconnect channel
• Transport channel to packing area for manual harvesting, trimming and packaging
• Produce shipped immediately after packing

Farm Scenario – Farm Production & Weather Conditions* (obtained from Meteorological Service Singapore for general area where farm is located)

Month Production (tonnes) Mean daily max temp Mean daily min temp Monthly mean temp No. of rainy days Total monthly rainfall (mm) Monthly mean sunshine duration (hrs)
2022-07 4.11 31.8 26.2 28.4 12 195.8 6.8
2022-06 3.54 32.1 25.6 28.5 20 93.4 6.5
2022-05 3.87 32.1 26 28.7 13 245.8 6
2022-04 4.33 32.4 25.3 28.2 14 290.4 6.8
2022-03 2.72 33.4 25 27.9 14 182.4 7.3
2022-02 2.38 33.6 24.8 28 2 1 8.2
2022-01 3.12 29.1 23.8 26 19 692.8 4.2
2021-12 3.47 31.5 24.5 27.2 20 253.2 5.2
2021-11 2.89 31 25 27.2 19 220.6 4
2021-10 4.11 31.6 25.6 28.3 16 78.8 4.3
2021-09 4.78 31 24.9 27.5 18 150.2 4.8
2021-08 4.56 31.4 25.9 28.3 12 103.4 6.4
2021-07 4.67 31 25.5 27.9 22 140.8 5.7
2021-06 3.96 31 25.5 28.1 21 233.8 4.3

*Weather data modified from https://data.gov.sg/dataset?q=weather
Farm Scenario – Crops Grown

Farm Scenario – Layout (not to scale)

Farm Scenario – Representative Photo of Farm

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9198681/self-assembly-greenhouse-nominated-for-sustainability-award/

Project Scope & Guideline
• Short proposal to be done in MS Word, with maximum 1,000 words (excluding figures, tables, references and annexes)
• Please follow the writing template as stated below:
1. Inefficiencies identified & prioritized problem areas

 Identify possible inefficiencies that could be improved with implementation of smart farming technologies to optimize productivity and/or operations.
 Prioritise 2 possible problem areas.

2. Possible smart farming technologies identified
 Identify potential smart technologies to address the 2 problem areas
(Farm environment & amenity-related considerations for deployment of technologies)

3. Business viability and feasibility analyses (provide table illustration)
Evaluate business viability and feasibility of selected technologies in (2) by conducting cost benefit analyses.
 Calculate costs to integrate the smart technologies
 Calculate possible yield improvement and/or manpower reduction
 Perform costs benefit analyses on the implementation of smart technologies

4. Conclusion: Proposed smart farming technologies
 The criteria and practical considerations for technology selection
 Assess technologies identified
 Finalise proposed technologies, while considering potential site limitations

5. References: APA Style (at least 4 references)

6. Appendix: (optional; delete this section if not required)