Smart Agriculture and The Internet of Things: Transforming Practices for a Resilient and Resource-Efficient Food System

Abstract

The agricultural sector faces mounting pressure from population growth, climate variability, resource scarcity, and labor shortages, requiring a fundamental shift from traditional, experience-based farming toward data-driven, precision-based practices. The Internet of Things (IoT) — a network of interconnected sensors, actuators, and computing systems capable of collecting, transmitting, and acting upon real-time environmental and operational data — has emerged as a central enabling technology in this transition. This paper examines the architecture, applications, and quantitative results of IoT-enabled smart agriculture, synthesizing market data and efficiency evidence on precision irrigation, soil and crop monitoring, livestock management, autonomous machinery, and supply chain traceability, and evaluates the economic, environmental, and social benefits of these systems alongside persistent barriers to adoption.