Proceedings of the 17th Multi-disciplinary Seminar (MDS)

Abstract

Water scarcity and inefficient irrigation practices continue to limit agricultural productivity in Ethiopia, particularly in peri-urban and semi-arid smallholder farming systems. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Internet of Things (IoT)-based digital irrigation systems in enhancing crop yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and economic returns in two contrasting environments: tomato cultivation in peri-urban Arba Minch and wheat production in the semiarid Shele lowlands. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used to compare conventional and IoT-managed irrigation treatments. The results revealed that IoT-based irrigation significantly improved tomato fresh fruit yield by 19.8% (38.8 vs. 32.4 t/ha) while reducing water usage by 26.7% and increasing WUE by 63.9% (from 7.2 to 11.8 kg/m³). Similarly, wheat grain yield increased by 19.2% (3.1 vs. 2.6 t/ha), with a 21.9% reduction in water use and a 52.6% increase in WUE (from 0.812 to 1.240 kg/m³). Yield variability was lower under IoT systems, indicating more stable performance. Economic analysis showed higher net profits and benefit-cost ratios for IoT-treated plots in both sites, especially in tomato production, where the BCR reached 3.19 in subsequent years. These findings support the adoption of IoT based digital irrigation as a sustainable solution to improve water productivity and profitability in diverse Ethiopian agroecology. Wider implementation is recommended through policy support, local technology development, and capacity building to ensure affordability and accessibility for smallholder farmers.