University Report: IoT and Cloud Computing in Agriculture Sector

This report examines the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing in the agricultural sector, focusing on smart farming techniques. It begins with an introduction highlighting the growing global population and the need for increased food production, emphasizing the role of IoT and cloud computing in modernizing farming practices, particularly in China and Kenya. The report delves into the background of these technologies, discussing the use of sensors, artificial intelligence, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for data collection and analysis. The research focuses on the potential for implementing these technologies in Kenya, addressing research questions about their applications, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for implementation. The methodology section outlines the research philosophy, approach, and design, including data collection methods and ethical considerations. A comprehensive literature review covers the concepts of cloud computing and IoT, cloud services, benefits, and their applications in agriculture. The report also highlights the challenges in utilizing cloud computing and IoT in agriculture. The report uses figures such as flowcharts and Gantt charts to provide clear details on the research and concludes with references.

Running head: APPLICATION OF IOT AND CLOUD COMPUTING FOR AGRICULTURE
Application of IoT and cloud computing for agriculture
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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APPLICATION OF IOT AND CLOUD COMPUTING FOR AGRICUTURE
Abstract
The cloud computing have tremendously affected the market of all fields. The cloud computing
and IoT has influenced the traditional form of farming in the field. There are various new
techniques developed in the market that helps in technical farming concept in the field. This
research project has focused on the impacts of the implementation of the cloud computing and
IoT in the agricultural sector.
There are various questions initiated that will be answered after the end of the research. The IoT
has helped in interacting with various devices in the world for helping in different sectors
including agriculture. The research will follow a proper methodology that will help in
completing the research on time. The research will follow both the qualitative and quantitative
data analysis method to analyses the data collected from both primary and secondary method.
The literature review will discuss the concept of cloud computing and Internet of things in the
agricultural field. The impact if the cloud computing and internet of things will be mentioned in
the chapter. The challenges in implementing the cloud computing and IoT in the agricultural
sector will be discussed.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................5
2. Background..................................................................................................................................6
3. Research focus.............................................................................................................................7
3.1 Research problem..................................................................................................................7
3.2Research question...................................................................................................................8
3.3 Research aim..........................................................................................................................8
4. Research Methodology................................................................................................................8
4.1Research philosophy...............................................................................................................8
4.2 Research approach.................................................................................................................9
4.3 Research design...................................................................................................................10
4.4 Data Collection....................................................................................................................10
4.5 Sampling technique.............................................................................................................11
4.6Data Analysis........................................................................................................................11
4.7Ethical Consideration............................................................................................................12
5. Research Merit and proposed contribution to science...............................................................12
6. Literature Review......................................................................................................................13
6.1 Concept of Cloud Computing..............................................................................................13
6.2 Cloud Services.....................................................................................................................14
6.3 Benefits of Cloud Computing..............................................................................................19

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APPLICATION OF IOT AND CLOUD COMPUTING FOR AGRICUTURE
6.4 Application of agricultural information cloud.....................................................................20
6.5 Concept of Internet of Things..............................................................................................22
6.6 Model of IoT........................................................................................................................24
6.7 Impact of the Cloud Computing and IoT in the Agriculture...............................................26
6.8 Challenges to utilize cloud computing and IoT in Agriculture...........................................27
6.9 Summary..............................................................................................................................28
7. Research Protocol......................................................................................................................29
8. References..................................................................................................................................30
Table figures
Figure 1: SaaS................................................................................................................................17
Figure 2: PaaS................................................................................................................................18
Figure 3: IaaS.................................................................................................................................19
Figure 4: Cloud benefits................................................................................................................20
Figure 5: Architecture of the agricultural information cloud........................................................22
Figure 6: Flow chart of Information acquisition model.................................................................26
Figure 7: IoT Model in Agriculture...............................................................................................27
Figure 8: IoT model in Agriculture...............................................................................................28
Figure 9: Gantt Chart.....................................................................................................................30

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1. Introduction
Internet of things and cloud computing are two new concepts of Internet Technology
emerging in the modern world. Both of them have been showing its importance in different
sectors in the industry. They have shown benefits in the agricultural industry by busing new
technology in farming. According to a report of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the
United Nation (FAO) says that the global population will reach to 8 billion by 2025 and 9.6
billion by 2050 (Botta et al. 2016). Therefore, in order to maintain the pace of growing
population the agricultural industry have to be developed to increase the pace of food production
in the world. The resurfacing of the global recession and losses have caused various ripples in
the developed and developing countries.
The cloud computing and Internet of Things have helped in making out if the problems in
the agricultural industry. The use of the advanced farming technology has helped in controlling
the challenges in the agricultural industry. As commented by Gubbi et al. (2013), the IoT has
able to connect various devices with each other with the help of the Internet. Various
applications are developed that are helping on enhancing the techniques of farming in the world.
This research is based on the techniques of farming in the China and Kenya. China have
advanced IoT devices that are helping in smart farming and increasing the food production in the
country. On the other hand, Kenya is an underdeveloped and still struggling with improving their
techniques for farming.
The use of the cloud computing and internet of things have helped in minimizing the cost of the
new techniques used in the farming. The Cloud computing and Internet of things have helped in

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connecting with various sensors that helps in providing knowledge regarding atmospheric
conditions. This research focuses in this new sensors and technologies that help in inducing
smart farming in the Kenya. This research focuses in the facility farming techniques used with
the help of Cloud Computing and Internet of things.
2. Background
The Cloud Computing and Internet of Things have enabled the sensing technology in the
agricultural industry in the market. This sensing technology uses various types of sensors that
helps in performing various roles in the market regarding the enhancement of the farming. The
use of the artificial intelligence in the sensing technology has helped in maintaining the
efficiency of the smart devices. There are various characteristics of the smart sensing devices
including the reliability and energy-efficient. As commented by TongKe (2013), the Wireless
Sensor network (WSN) has helped to delineate landscape and for managing field level of food
production are effectively established.
The IoT has helped in interacting with various devices in the world for helping in
different sectors including agriculture. As mentioned by Da Xu et al. (2014), the Radio
frequency Identification (RFID) helps in collecting various data and information regarding the
agricultural statistics for helping in the smart concept of farming. The RFID is wireless
electromagnetic fields for transferring data automatically and tracking various objects. The
device is connected with the cloud computing and the data and information is stored in the cloud
server. The Internet of Things has strengthen its roots in China by involving into new
technologies (Perera et al. 2014). China has been continuously implementing smart technologies
in their agricultural industry. The research has been done in the technologies used by the China
in the agricultural industry. There are various methodologies used in the research for completing

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the research within time with proper outcomes. The use of the cloud computing in the agriculture
has helped in reducing the costs and space of storing data and information related to the farming.
3. Research focus
The research will focus on the study of the IoT and cloud computing used by China in the
agriculture industry. The applications of the cloud computing and IoT in the China will be taken
and recommended in the agricultural industry of Kenya. The research will focus on the use of
sensor technologies used for implementing the climate smart agriculture. The opportunities of
the project in implementing in Kenya has been discussed. The challenges in implementing the
project in the agricultural industry will be reflected in the research. There will be several
recommendations provided to mitigate the challenges detected during implementation of the
sensor technology in the agricultural industry.
3.1 Research problem
The use of the IoT and cloud computing in the agricultural industry has given rise to the
smart farming. This has helped in increasing the food production in the world. The project
climate agriculture has been a failure in Kenya. Kenya is an undeveloped country struggling for
implementing architecture of cloud computing and Internet of Things (Wang et al. 2014). The
use of the cloud computing and the IoT has been continuously helping in increasing the
production of food in the market. Therefore, this research will focus on eliminating the barriers
of implementing the cloud computing and internet of things in the agricultural industry in Kenya.
The research will also reflect the possibilities that are prevailing in the Kenya with respect to the
scenario that in the China.

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3.2Research question
Few questions will be answered in the outcomes of the research. These questions are
mentioned below:
1. What are the applications of the cloud computing and Internet if things 9n the
agriculture?
2. What are the opportunities for the cloud computing and internet f things in the agriculture
industry in Kenya?
3. What are the challenges in implementing the strategies under the cloud computing and
internet of things in agricultural industry in Kenya?
4. What are the recommendations for mitigating these challenges in the agricultural sector
of Kenya?
3.3 Research aim
This research aims towards the application of the cloud computing and internet if things
9n the agricultural sector in the Kenya. This research aims at retrieving information regarding the
use of smart technologies in the China and implementing in agricultural industry of Kenya.
4. Research Methodology
A proper approach in the research has to be maintained for getting appropriate results and
outcomes after the completion of the research. The methodological framework provides an
intelligent approach towards the research for fulfilling the objectives and question of the
research.

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4.1Research philosophy
The research philosophy deals with the philosophical standards that will be followed in
this research by the researchers. These philosophies help in detecting the mentality of the
researcher and the participants of the research. The philosophical standards include Positivism,
interpretivism, pragmatism and authenticity (Perera et al. 2014). The positivism philosophy deals
with the physiological aspects of the research materials. On the other hand, the interpretivism
deals with the general aspects of the pope regarding the research topic.
This research will use positivism philosophy to discover the psychological aspects of the
research topic. The theories regarding the cloud computing and internet of things will be
properly analyzed with the help of positivism philosophy. The questions will be developed
depending upon the literature review of the research in the given topic. Therefore, this is the
reason of selecting the positivism philosophy over interpretivism.
4.2 Research approach
The approach of the research provides a proper way of progressing the study on the topic.
There are two types of research approach including inductive and deductive approach. The
inductive approach deals with the depiction of various components of the research topic. This
depiction of the components is followed by an example related to it in a hypothetical manner
(Babu et al. 2015). On the other hand, deductive approach refers to a hypothetical approach of
the research topic and analyses the various aspects if the research elements. It helps in building a
relationship among the components of the research.
The deductive approach helps in providing motivation in the present research. On the
other hand, the inductive approach deals with the predisposition reflection and blunders in
elucidation. The main issue distinguishing proof and managing same was double for the present

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APPLICATION OF IOT AND CLOUD COMPUTING FOR AGRICUTURE
research (Liu and Tao 2016). The specialist could conclude relationship of relegated factors and
intelligently clarify occasions seen with assistance of experimental information.
4.3 Research design
There are three types of research design including the exploratory, explanatory and
descriptive design. . The exploratory research focuses on clarification of existing hypothetical
system. The examination issues same decides the method of determination and additionally
relevance of exploration outline (Jayaraman et al. 2015). The exploratory research highlights on
the recognizable proof of relationship and hidden realities for influencing the circumstance. The
research will use the descriptive design.
The descriptive design helps in identifying the data and information related to the
research topic from the sources available. It also helps in clear understanding of the data and
information developed during the study of the topic. Techniques used in the research will be
analyzed by the descriptive design. Therefore, these are the remains of undertaking the
descriptive research design.
4.4 Data Collection
The data collection method is an integral part of a research topic. The data and information
regarding the research topic s taken from various sources. There are two types of data collection
methods including the primary and secondary data collection methods. The primary data
collection includes the data collection from organizing surveys, case study analysis and
experimentation. On the other hand, the secondary data collection method deals with the data
collection from online journals, articles, books, interviews and governmental databases (Ansari
et al. 2015) The review surveys will be created as Likert scale. The scale contains reactions
including Strongly Agree, , Neutral, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree. The reactions of

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farmers will be gathered with assistance of close-ended survey with end goal of speculation of
information and in addition investigation of particular feedbacks. The polls will be produced and
ad lobbed amid inquire about. The end of predisposition reactions and mistakes will be
institutionalized amid the procedure of advancement of the survey.
4.5 Sampling technique
The sample technique is the research depicts the technique by which the data collecting
method will be implemented to collect the data and information regarding the research topic.
There will be 50 people including farmers and consumers taken for organizing the online survey.
The answers and views of the participants will be recorded as data and information for the
research topic. There will be ten close ended questions will be added in the questionnaire of the
online survey. There are three managers of three different agricultural companies will be
interviewed for gathering their answers and thoughts on the research topic. There will be three
open-ended questions asked in the interview and the answers of the managers will be recorded as
data and information for the research topic.
4.6Data Analysis
The data analysis helps in analyzing the data and information that has been collected during
the data collection method. As commented by Singh, Tripathi and Jara (2014), there two types
of data analysis including qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The quantitative data
analysis used to analyses the data collected from the primary sources including online survey. On
the other hand, qualitative data analysis is used for the data collected from the secondary sources
including interviews. This research will use both the qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
This type of data analysis sis known as hybrid data analysis. The results are shown in a tabular

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and graphical format using the Likert Scale. Thus, it helps in proper understanding of the results
and outcomes of the research.
4.7Ethical Consideration
The research will follow all the ethical consideration in the study. The research will
follow the rules under the Data Protection Act 1998. The data and information of the research
will not be used outside the study and secured properly for the research use. The legal standards
of the act will be strictly followed. There will be proper transparency of data and information in
the results and outcomes of the research (Cao et al. 2016). No participants of the survey and
interview are forced to participate in it. They will be free with their decision to leave the survey
or interview at any time according ti their will. The data and information related to the research
will not be coarshed. The data and information will be taken from authentic websites and
journals. The overview was finished with dynamic and tolerance support of the members.
Mighty or unscrupulous practices are kept away from to guarantee realness of the present
research.
5. Research Merit and proposed contribution to science
A systematic investigation will be done on the applications of the cloud computing and
IoT in the agricultural sector of China and Kenya. As suggested by Cavalcante et al. (2016), the
problems in the agriculture has been prevailing in the industry. The production of food is not
appropriate with the increase in the population of the world. The hunger rate of the people is
increasing day by day all over the world. Therefore, to manage the production of the food in the
world, the cloud computing and IoT has started various technologies including the climate smart
agriculture that help in analyzing the climatic changes and extreme condition of weather on the
farming operations.