Greenhouse monitoring and smart irrigation control

The problem

A farmer in the Jordan Valley travels daily to check whether the soil needs watering or the greenhouse has overheated, deciding by sight and touch. Being a day late during a heat wave can cost part of the season. Guesswork irrigation also wastes water in one of the world's most water-poor countries. Measurement turns the decision from a guess into a number.

How it works

1. MeasurementDistributed sensors measure soil moisture, air temperature and humidity, and light intensity.
2. DecisionThe controller compares each reading with the right range for the crop being grown.
3. IrrigationWhen soil moisture drops below the set limit, the pump runs until it's back in range.
4. VentilationRising temperature turns the fan on, and falling temperature turns it off.
5. Tank protectionThe level sensor stops the pump from running dry, protecting it from damage.
6. FollowingAn online dashboard shows the readings, charts, and irrigation log.

Project features

• It genuinely saves water — a standout strength in the Jordanian context.
• It acts automatically as a closed-loop control system, not just a display of readings.
• Measurable results, by comparing water use before and after the system.
• Protecting the pump from running dry is an engineering detail that catches the committee's attention.
• It can expand to several greenhouses with wireless nodes.

Expected challenges

These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.

• Resistive soil moisture sensors corrode quickly, while capacitive ones last longer.
• The sensor's position in the soil changes the reading radically, depending on its depth and distance from the dripper.
• Securing power on farmland far from the grid.
• Withstanding the humidity and heat inside the greenhouse all year.
• Each crop has a different moisture and temperature range, so the system needs settings per crop.

The consultation gives you a solution for each one.

Expected committee questions

Prepare your answers in advance: these questions come up often in defenses of similar projects.

1. How does the system decide when and how much to water?
2. Why was a capacitive moisture sensor chosen over a resistive one, and how do their lifespans compare?
3. How is the pump protected from running when the tank is empty?
4. How much water is saved compared with guesswork irrigation, and how was it measured?

Practice the defense, question by question