Semtech Corporation (Nasdaq: SMTC) has announced a collaboration with Sustainable Harvest Sdn Bhd (SH) to bring advanced technology to Durian farms across Malaysia. SH has deployed Semtech's LoRa-enabled sensors and LoRaWAN-based gateways to help farmers manage the challenging task of cultivating and harvesting Durian trees, notorious for their sensitivity to weather and moisture conditions.
The LoRa technology, a popular wireless platform in IoT, allows sensors to connect to the cloud and communicate real-time data and analytics. This instant management has significantly improved the efficiency and productivity of sustainable IoT use cases. Over 300 million LoRa end nodes operate worldwide, supporting various applications ranging from agriculture and healthcare to industrial and transportation sectors.
In Durian farming, these sensors provide Malaysian farmers real-time updates on their farms' health at all growth stages—from pre-harvest to post-harvest. This immediate visibility has simplified the farmers' tasks and enhanced their profitability.
Han Wei, the co-founder and chief technology officer at SH, expressed the transformative impact of IoT on Malaysian farming. “We founded this company to address the farming barriers and pain points in Malaysia. To better serve our community, we knew we needed to improve farming practices, reduce operational costs, and help farmers deliver better yields,” said Wei.
The LoRa technology was the obvious choice for SH, with the Musang Valley Plantation, one of their largest farms spanning over 700 acres and housing 11,000 Durian trees, serving as a case in point. Managing the crops was a formidable challenge with the terrain, including many steep hillsides. However, the LoRa system now allows the farmers to monitor the trees, receive alerts about potential issues, and take immediate action, saving time and mitigating the potential loss of trees and revenue.
Presently, 30 farms in Malaysia are using LoRa technology, and more plantations are expected to adopt it in the next 12 months. The IoT nodes, designed by Sustainable Harvest and utilizing LoRaWAN, implement LoRa's low-power, long-range sensors, which last up to four years in the field without requiring replacement.
These sensors not only monitor the flow rate and pressure of irrigation systems to maintain optimal soil moisture levels but also track the nutrients in the soil. This data-driven farming practice enables Malaysian farmers to care for their crops remotely, contributing to a more sustainable planet for future generations.
Image provided by Semtech Corporation
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