Integration and Remote Monitoring of Wireless Sensor Networks in the Development of SMART Villages

Abstract

In Zambia there are 10 provinces of which 8 are essentially in rural areas where more than 80% of the population live (1). Successive Zambian governments have made several attempts at increasing budgetary allocation towards improving rural agriculture particularly in the advent of climate change (2). This paper discusses an automated drip irrigation system employing ZigBee technology. In many applications where high-end equipment is installed, lack of maintenance support for remote villages means systems often fall into disrepair and eventual vandalism (3). With the rapid expansion of the Internet, there is the added potential for the remote control and monitoring of such systems. The paper discusses the designing and building of irrigation systems for villages which are independent, efficient and self-sustaining in providing smart services and solutions particularly in developing agro industries.