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Design of an agroclimatic system for intelligent monitoring, advance notice, and business model for cocoa cultivation in Naranjito

Abstract:

In Ecuador, agricultural activity contributes 32.11% to the economic population, being one of the main sectors after oil. However, due to the instability of agroclimatic conditions, many crops are prone to pests and diseases, with moniliasis being one of the main causes of crop losses, amounting to up to 60% of production. In the Primavera area of Naranjito canton, two types of cocoa are cultivated: National Cocoa and CCN-51, in a traditional way, without the aid of technologies that allow for better yields. The main objective of the project was to develop the design and implementation of a system for collecting and processing agroclimatic data for decision-making in the technical management of cocoa cultivation. To achieve this, a study was conducted on the relationship of environmental variables; light, temperature, humidity of the environment and soil, for the issuance of an alert generated by a code based on the studies of variables. Through the Design Thinking method, a business model is proposed for the implementation of various early warning devices to improve the production quantities of farmers in the Naranjito area and its surroundings. As a result of the implementation of the early warning device, a reduction in the incidence of moniliasis from 9.46% to 1.45% was observed in the study area, resulting in time and money savings for the farmer. The success of the project lies in the potential of technology to improve resilience and efficiency in agriculture, seeking not only to improve cocoa production in Naranjito and its surroundings but also to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors. With a projected investment of $64,792.34.