Intelory Agrow: Boosting Agriculture with Sensor Hub

Highlights:

North Macedonia's agriculture struggles with low productivity due to outdated farming techniques and limited adoption of modern technologies.
Intelory Agrow, leveraging RAKwireless IoT solutions like the WisGate Edge Pro and solar-powered Sensor Hub, provides real-time data insights for precision agriculture.
Farmers in the Municipality of Prilep achieved increased crop yields and reduced water and fertilizer usage, creating a sustainable model for modern agriculture.

The potential for expansion stands in sharp contrast to the current levels of productivity in North Macedonia's lush plains, where agriculture accounts for 10% of the country's GDP. The region lags considerably behind its European competitors, mostly because of outdated techniques and a resistance to adopting modern sustainable farming technologies. This marks the beginning of Intelory Agrow's story, which is one of foresight, inventiveness, and the determination to transform an industry.

Intelory Agrow is a smart agriculture system using IoT developed by Intelory. This solution leverages IoT in agriculture to optimize farming practices with real-time data insights. Its mission is straightforward but impactful: to empower farmers through advanced technology.

The founders of Intelory saw the difficulties local farmers faced and dreamed of a time when precision agriculture would not only increase yields but also reduce environmental impact. They saw a chance to implement clever, environmentally friendly methods that could turn farming from merely sustainable to thriving.

The Challenge

One of the primary challenges in deploying advanced agricultural technologies in North Macedonia was ensuring reliable operation in remote and off-grid locations. Intelory’s agricultural sites, characterized by their expansive and isolated nature, lacked access to traditional power sources. These conditions demanded a network capable of operating autonomously while withstanding environmental variances, all without compromising reliability or sustainability.

Why LoRaWAN^® and RAKwireless?

To bring their vision to life, Intelory turned to Internet of Things (IoT) and LoRaWAN technology, leveraging the power of connected devices to monitor and manage agricultural environments more efficiently. Central to their solution is the WisGate Edge Pro RAK7289V2 gateway, paired with the RAK Battery Plus RAK9155.

Intelory chose RAKwireless as a partner for its tailored efficient farm management solutions, including solar power options like the Sensor Hub with Solar Battery Lite and the Battery Plus RAK9155. These RAK offerings aligned perfectly with the project’s sustainability goals, providing reliable, off-grid operation essential for managing agricultural networks across vast, unpowered rural areas.

Additionally, the system incorporates cutting-edge monitoring tools including RAK’s Weather Station Monitoring solution for evaluating atmospheric conditions and Soil Monitoring solution for tracking critical soil characteristics (moisture, temperature, and electrical conductivity). When combined, these elements give farmers practical advice for efficient crop management.

By combining solar energy with high-quality smart farming IoT technology, Intelory’s network minimizes reliance on traditional power infrastructure. This ensures uninterrupted operation and promotes environmentally sustainable farming practices.

Information about Sensor Hub Monitoring

The Sensor Hub is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors that measure critical parameters essential for precision agriculture:

Soil Moisture and Temperature: These sensors offer information that aids in estimating irrigation requirements. This helps avoid water waste and underwatering, which is essential for preserving crop quality and soil health.
Electrical Conductivity: By measuring soil conductivity, farmers can gain insights into soil nutrient levels, which directly influence fertilization strategies.
Weather Conditions: Sensors that monitor atmospheric conditions including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation allow farmers to make informed decisions about planting times, pest control, and harvesting periods.

For the Sensor Hub to maximize crop yields and minimize environmental impact, each of these data points is essential. Farmers can swiftly modify their plans in response to current environmental conditions thanks to real-time data, which improves sustainability and production.

Ensuring Maximum Efficiency Post-Installation

To ensure the network operates at maximum efficiency, Intelory uses RAK’s Field Tester for LoRaWAN post-installation. This device allows them to test and verify network coverage, ensuring that the placement of gateways and sensors is optimal.

By identifying areas where adjustments might be needed, the Field Tester provides crucial insights that help refine the setup and maximize operational performance. These insights are also shared with users, offering them a clear understanding of their network's coverage and efficiency.

The results speak for themselves. In the Municipality of Prilep, where the first project was deployed, farmers have seen a noticeable improvement in crop yields and a reduction in water and fertilizer usage. The data collected allows for precise application of resources, ensuring nothing is wasted and everything is optimized for the best output.

Creating a Blueprint for Agricultural Success

Looking ahead, Intelory is committed to expanding their technology to other regions while continuously refining their systems based on field feedback. An upgrade to WisGate Connect is on the horizon, offering enhanced flexibility and control for managing IoT networks, which will further optimize their solutions.

By modernizing agriculture and creating a sustainable, replicable model, Intelory aims to transform farming practices in North Macedonia and inspire similar advancements across Europe and beyond. As more farmers adopt solar energy and IoT solutions for agriculture, the fields of North Macedonia are poised to become a benchmark for efficiency, sustainability, and innovation in agriculture.