Bengaluru: GITAM Deemed to be University, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, is developing an IoT-based sericulture model to enable data-driven decision-making for farmers.
Sericulture farming depends heavily on soil conditions, weather patterns and timely interventions. However, most farm-level decisions continue to rely on observation rather than real-time data, impacting productivity and income stability.
The DST-funded project integrates soil sensors, a micro-weather station and a cloud-based platform to convert field data into actionable insights for irrigation, nutrient application and crop management. The initiative is led by Prof. Mohan K G along with Dr. Dayanand Lal N and Prof. I. Jeena Jacob from GITAM Bengaluru.
As part of the research, GITAM conducted a two-day field engagement with mulberry farmers from Bengaluru Rural district to assess usability among non-technical users. Experts including Prof. Manjunath Gowda and C.M. Lakshman from the Department of Sericulture contributed insights on crop practices and policy linkages.
Farmers were introduced to interpreting real-time soil and weather data, supported by live demonstrations at GITAM’s experimental farm.
Prof. Mohan K G said, “The focus now is to validate whether the system is practical and valuable at the farm level. Direct engagement with farmers helps refine it for real-world use.”
The next phase will focus on simplifying interfaces, reducing costs and piloting adoption across farms to measure impact. The initiative reflects GITAM’s translational research approach, applying technology to improve agricultural productivity, efficiency and farmer incomes.
