Students in Thailand develop a water level control system that enables rice
farmers to use water more efficiently and cultivate their crops more sustainably
Rice is a mainstay of agriculture in Thailand, which ranks as one of the top five producers of rice globally. But cultivating a crop that requires a great deal of water in a country that experiences volatile rainfall levels threatens the viability of this crop for both farmers and citizens in Thailand, as well as consumers in worldwide markets. Thanks to recent efforts by a team of students from Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) in Pathum Thani, Thailand and the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Thailand Chapter through their EPICS in IEEE project entitled “Automatic Water Level Control System for Alternate Wetting-and-Drying Technique,” Thai farmers now have opportunities to use water more efficiently and farm more sustainably.
Traditional rice cultivation across Thailand’s 13,793-square-mile growing region requires water levels to be kept about 10 centimeters above the soil level for most of the process; however, this amount of water causes fermentation of weeds and insects, resulting in the emission of methane gas that contributes to climate change. While an alternate wetting-and-drying (AWD) technique has been proposed in Thailand, farmers have resisted it based on the increased labor it requires.
For those reasons, “our EPICS in IEEE project addresses the issue of water scarcity in rice farming in Thailand,” shared Teeraphat Thongchern, Hardware Engineering student at RMUTT. “The AWD technique is a sustainable method for rice cultivation that helps conserve water and reduce methane emissions, but to effectively implement this technique, a precise water level control system is needed in the fields to ensure that farmers use water efficiently.”
Launched in October 2023, the project was run by the six-student team of Pusit Nitisaropas, Surattana Kakay, Teeraphat Thongchern, Buranon Buncharoen, Sirachat Maisuaydee, and Sorawit Srisun along with instrumental research and development support early on from founding members Kridcharid Srikam, Siriphatson Duangsaart, and Kanisorn Baochai. Conducted in community partnership with the Rice Research Center in Pathum Thani, the project involved the use of several technologies.
“We used the Mesh Node T114 as our microcontroller, as its built-in LoRa module enables efficient long-range communications,” Thongchern explained. “Due to the narrow, four-inch pipes used by farmers, we opted for an infrared water level sensor because it can measure water levels in the pipes with high accuracy, allowing the system to adjust water levels efficiently. And we also designed a relay circuit to control our water pump based on data received from the sensor to ensure the pump’s optimal operation.”
Integrating these components relied on the team’s skills in embedded system design to connect the microcontroller with sensors and other devices, C++ programming, circuit design, and printed circuit board (PCB) layout. Thongchern noted that the project also called on the team’s problem-solving skills, “as we had to troubleshoot the sensor calibration to improve the pump’s performance and incorporate compact and cost-effective components to meet our budget and minimize the risk of theft,” he said.
The team had to redesign their system using infrared sensor technology instead of ultrasonic for greater accuracy and also encountered limitations in signal transmission range, which required their use of a different microcontroller for greater reliability and efficiency over long distances. Despite these challenges, the team successfully achieved their goals and their system has been met with great support from their target audience.
“We’ve received positive feedback from farm owners who are interested in using the Alternate Wetting-and-Drying technique,” Thongchern said. “They’ve shared that our system is very interesting and convenient for AWD rice farming because it helps control the water level in the fields with greater precision and ease.”
Improving Livelihoods and Supporting Sustainability
Thongchern – whose project responsibilities included design of the water level sensor system and control of the water pump — confirmed that the project enabled him to gain technical experience in everything from designing and developing embedded systems to selecting, implementing, and integrating sensors for accurate water level measurement, designing circuits and creating custom PCBs, and programming code for microcontroller-based control and automation using Arduino IDE.
Thongchern and the whole team also acquired many professional skills along the way.
“We learned the importance of effective collaboration with team members and external partners to solve problems and achieve project goals and built strengths in organizational skills, critical thinking, and developing creative solutions to technical problems,” Thongchern said. “The project also helped us find ways to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, including farmers, to implement the solution.”
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their system’s communication range and reduce its cost so that even more farmers can access it. “Ultimately, our hope is to address the water scarcity issues faced by Thai farmers and enable them to produce rice for consumption by aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said. “We aim to contribute to environmental sustainability and improve the livelihoods of farmers by enhancing water management efficiency and accessibility through technology while also reducing the impacts of global warming.”
“We’re truly thankful for the financial support and resources we received from EPICS in IEEE and the IEEE Solid State Circuits Society (SSCS), which were crucial to acquiring the materials and technology we needed to develop and implement our system and bring our project to life,” shared a grateful Thongchern. “Just as important, the mentorship and guidance we received from the EPICS in IEEE and SSCS communities helped us refine our ideas and overcome challenges in a meaningful way.”
“Being part of the EPICS in IEEE program has been an incredible experience,” he continued. “Beyond gaining technical expertise, we’ve also learned valuable soft skills like teamwork, communication, and project management. This initiative gave us the opportunity to make a real impact in our community while also contributing to a global cause by focusing on sustainable development goals.”
Based on their positive experience, “we highly recommend joining an EPICS in IEEE project to anyone, because working on real-world problems alongside a passionate and diverse group of people is both rewarding and inspiring,” Thongchern concluded. “The hands-on experience you’ll gain goes beyond just technical knowledge, and the satisfaction of knowing that your work is making a real difference is unparalleled.”
Check out the two videos of the project featured on the EPICS in IEEE YouTube page!
EPICS in IEEE: Automatic Water Level Control System in Thailand Video 1
EPICS in IEEE: Automatic Water Level Control System in Thailand Video 2
For more information on EPICS in IEEE or the opportunity to participate in service-learning projects, visit https://epics.ieee.org/. “EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) in IEEE” is an initiative which provides opportunities for students to work proactively with both engineering professionals, technological innovation, and local organizations/partners to develop solutions that address global community challenges.
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