Automated Hydroponic Farming System Using Nutrient Film Technique

This study addresses the challenge of designing an automated hydroponic system utilizing the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) to optimize lettuce growth. Conducted during the academic year 2022-2023 in Barangay Lower Katingawan, the research involved fifteen participants, including hydroponic farmers, local farmers, government employees, and future developers from various barangays in Midsayap. The Automated Hydroponic Farming System integrates automation and IoT technologies to reduce manual workload by regulating critical environmental factors. Key features include temperature monitoring (mean: 3.89), humidity control (mean: 3.77), pH management (mean: 3.80), TDS monitoring (mean: 3.85), automatic water pump timer (mean: 3.91), light indicators and alarms (mean: 3.92), and real-time SMS updates (mean: 3.95). These features ensure precise control over the growing environment, enhancing plant health and productivity. Results demonstrate the system's efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. The project reduces farmer workload, supports sustainable crop production, and promotes water savings and year-round yields. Specifically, the system’s temperature, humidity, and pH monitoring capabilities received high approval ratings, indicating their effectiveness in maintaining optimal growing conditions. Automating the water pump and integrating light indicators and SMS updates further enhance operational efficiency and user convenience. The novelty of the proposed work lies in the comprehensive integration of environmental and nutrient monitoring features with real-time data transmission and remote alerts, offering a significant advancement in hydroponic farming practices. This innovative approach not only addresses existing challenges but also provides a scalable solution that can be adopted by current and future hydroponic farmers, with potential support from the government to enhance food security amid population growth and climate change.