An IoT Data-Driven Framework for Olive Groves Monitoring and Irrigation Management

The climate change poses significant challenges to Mediterranean olive groves, leading to water stress, soil erosion, and reduced agricultural productivity. In this study, an innovative approach integrating biochar, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) mechanisms is proposed to optimize the water management. In detail, a dedicated living lab, where olive pots are monitored under different irrigation regimes with and without the biochar, has been developed. Data from IoT sensors have been used to train a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Neural Network (NN), achieving a prediction accuracy greater than 97% for the soil water content, thus demonstrating the potential of digital technologies to enhance sustainable agriculture and mitigate drought stress.