There are over 220,000 small-scale farmers in Vietnam who depend on their farms’ production to make a living. Unfortunately, the farmers’ poor water quality management has led to a high risk of shrimp die-offs which only hurts their profits. A simple, cost-effective solution is in need to reduce the risk of crop loss.
Nine students part of the EPICS program at Arizona State University have brainstormed a way to combat this issue. Their plan is to pair sensors, using the Internet of Things (IoT), with an automated system that will measure and collect data, which will therefore provide shrimp farmers with better management tools.
The team is determined to create an efficient way for these farmers to mitigate the risk of crop loss and to help better their understanding of why it occurred in the first place. Ideally, the farmers will be able to prevent an issue from occurring using the team’s proposed solution. By using a mobile device application, on top of the technologies they already have in their farms, they hope to make a smooth transition in order to not disrupt their livelihoods.
This project will be broken down into three primary stages, with the first being the physical sensor device. After they complete this, they will move to the collection, organization, and interpretation of the received data which will then bring them to the third stage, at which they will make the device autonomous.
The team was granted $2,000 from EPICS in IEEE to complete their project. If successful, not only will it improve the farmers’ lives, but it will also lead to less pond abandonment, less mangrove deforestation, less freshwater pollution, and overall a more sustainable future for everyone involved.