Cost-effective Monitoring Platform for Optimal Nutrient Application

Fertilizers are essential for growing the food we eat, but their overuse is a significant global issue. Farmers often apply more fertilizer than necessary, leading to wasted resources, higher costs, and environmental problems like water pollution and atmospheric gas release. This inefficiency threatens clean water sources and damages ecosystems. Finding a better way to monitor and manage fertilizer use is critical for farmers, communities, and the planet.This project will develop an affordable and user-friendly technology to help farmers monitor essential nutrients like nitrogen and potassium in real-time. Using innovative, low-cost printed sensors, we aim to create tools that can be seamlessly integrated into existing farming systems. These sensors will provide instant data on nutrient levels, helping farmers make smarter decisions about when and how much fertilizer to use. Field tests and collaboration with agricultural partners will ensure the technology is effective, easy to use, and accessible to farms of all sizes.By reducing fertilizer waste, this project can lower farming costs, increase crop yields, and minimize environmental harm. It will also support more efficient agriculture, helping protect water sources and reduce atmospheric gas release. Ultimately, this technology can improve food security, boost farmer profits, and contribute to healthier communities and ecosystems worldwide.