Vertical Farming with Smart Technology to Increase Agricultural Productivity
Narumol Chumuang
Abstract
This research presents the design and development of an innovative prototype for vertical farming that can be controlled through smart technology to increase the amount of agricultural products to achieve food security. By designing and developing innovative prototypes for growing vertical agricultural crops that are controlled through an internet-based application. To control the environment anytime, anywhere as desired. Using temperature and humidity control with a microcontroller and develop applications that can be controlled via Android smartphones. Let's increase the efficiency of growing hydroponic salad vegetables. To increase the quality and weight of the salad vegetables. As a result, the farmers earn more income per month, which is a career that is suitable for conditions and areas with limited water sources and resources. We chose the green oak vegetables to make and experiment because green oak vegetables are popular for consumption and can be grown and harvested all year round. In addition, it is a salad vegetable with a relatively high price per kilogram. In addition, the recorded parameters that are important to plant growth for a period of 9 months, starting from June 2023 to February 2024, by specifying important parameters for recording data such as air temperature, humidity, water temperature, amount of light, control value, electrical conductivity of plant nutrient solution, pH value of water and the concentration of the solution in the water. The results of found that growing in the same area between hydroponic growing with general horizontal rails and growing with a vertical farming prototype at a size of 1.00 x 1.50 meters, it was found that growing with the vertical farming prototype could grow 40 plants, but growing with general horizontal rails could grow 32–35 plants. The weight of vegetables grown with the vertical farming prototype and controlled environment gave higher yield than the hydroponic growing method with general horizontal rails by 29.1%, which led to income and profits that farmers would receive.