Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers
Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614077825581056 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Kloppers, Balthazar |
| author2 | Von Leipzig, Konrad |
| author_browse | Kloppers, Balthazar Von Leipzig, Konrad |
| author_facet | Von Leipzig, Konrad Kloppers, Balthazar |
| author_sort | Kloppers, Balthazar |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125930 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:18.613Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125930 Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers Kloppers, Balthazar Von Leipzig, Konrad Hummel, Vera Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. Farms, Small Agricultural innovations Irrigation farming Artificial intelligence -- Agricultural applications Precision farming Industry 4.0 Agricultural systems UCTD Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalisation and an increased demand for goods and services has resulted in businesses being able to satisfy higher demands with increased efficiency and accuracy. This has resulted in industry streams employing practices that have paved the way for the new industrial revolution, namely Industry 4.0. The agricultural industry is no exception; the emergence of precision farming technologies has increased the potential to meet high food demands and economic growth within the sector. Irrigation systems are part of precision farming technologies that enable farmers and businesses to reduce water usage, reduce labour and watering costs, control and monitor irrigation, and potentially increase yields. Small-scale farmers, however, experience barriers to applying irrigation systems. The main barriers are the investment costs of acquiring a system, not knowing the benefits related to specific systems and components, and not having or being unsure of the knowledge and skills required to operate the systems. This thesis proposes a framework with a system configurator to support the small-scale farmer to overcome these barriers. A comprehensive framework for the configuration of an irrigation system addresses the main barriers to applying such a system through supporting small-scale farmers in selecting appropriate irrigation system configurations for site-specific applications. The framework is developed based on the Reference Architecture Model for Industry 4.0. The framework can be applied from three different perspectives; each perspective being used to overcome a specific barrier. The first perspective, namely the financial capability perspective is used to choose different technologies for each component to develop an irrigation system, or to select a market-ready irrigation system. The second perspective addresses the benefits of the system and its components. The third perspective, namely the knowledge and skills perspective, provides the knowledge and skills required to operate and understand each component and provides available study programmes and education levels or needed to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills. The configurator integrates the perspectives to configure the irrigation system. A survey was performed on small-scale farmers to determine the usability and applicability of the framework, and it was found that the barriers identified in the literature were also present in practice, specifically the financial barrier. The framework succeeded in enabling the farmer to configure a system and communicating the requirements needed to operate the system. Feedback from the survey also indicated that the framework can be complex. A suggestion was therefore made to enlist the support of a consultant trained on the use of the framework, to guide the small-scale farmer into using the framework and implementing an irrigation system. It was also recommended that the framework be used as an educational tool by government and third-party organisations when setting up small-scale farmer programmes and schemes. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Globalisering en die verhoogde aanvraag na goedere en dienste het veroorsaak dat besighede aan hierdie hoër aanvraag moet voorsien met beter effektiwiteit en akkuraatheid. Dit het veroorsaak dat alle bedryfsektore van praktyke moet gebruik maak wat die grondslag neerlê vir die nuwe industriële revolusie, naamlik “Industry 4.0”. Die landboubedryf is nie ‘n uitsondering nie. Die ontstaan en verskyning van presisie-landboutegnologieë het die potensiaal verhoog om aan die hoër voedsel aanvraag te voldoen en om potensiële ekonomiese groei binne die sektor te verhoog. Besproeiingstelsels vorm deel van presisie-lanboutegnologieë wat boere en besighede in staat stel om waterverbruik te verminder, arbeid en water koste te verminder, besproeiing te beheer en monitor en om moontlik hul opbrengste te verhoog. Kleinskaal boere ervaar egter struikelblokke om besproeiingstelsels toe te pas. Die grootste struikelblokke is die beleggingskoste wat verband hou met die aankope van ‘n stelsel, om nie bewus te wees van die voordele van ‘n spesifieke stelsel en die komponente nie en laastens om nie die nodighede vaardighede en kennis te besit wat nodig is om die stelsel te bedryf nie. In die tesis word ‘n raamwerk voorgestel wat ‘n stelselkonfigurator bevat om ondersteuning te bied aan die kleinskaal boer om die struikelblokke aan te spreek. Die omvattende raamwerk vir die konfigurasie van ‘n besproeiingstelsel spreek die hoof struikelblokke aan deur die kleinskaal boer in staat te stel om ‘n gepaste besproeiingstelsel te kies vir sy/haar spesifieke toepassing. Die raamwerk is ontwikkel op grond van die “Reference Architecture for Industrie 4.0” beginsels. Die raamwerk kan benader word vanuit drie verskillende perspektiewe waar elke perspektief een van die struikelblokke aanspreek. Die eerste perspektief, die finansiële vermoëperspektief, word gebruik om ‘n mark beskikbare sisteem te kies, of tussen verskillende tegnologieë vir elke komponent te kies om hul eie besproeiingstelsel te ontwikkel. Die tweede perspektief verskaf die voordele van die stelsel en die individuele komponente. Die derde perspektief, die kennis en vaardighede perspektief, spreek die kennis en vaardighede aan wat benodig is om elke komponent te verstaan en bedryf. Dit verskaf ook die studie programme en opvoedingsvlakke wat beskikbaar is om die kennis en vaardighede aan te skaf. Die konfigurator integreer die perspektiewe en word gebruik om die besproeiingstelsel to konfigureer. ‘n Opname was uitgevoer van kleinskaal boere om die bruikbaarheid en toepaslikheid van die raamwerk vas te stel. Resultate het getoon dat die struikelblokke in die literatuur, ook teenwoordig is in die praktyk, veral die finansiêle struikelblok. Die resultate het ook getoon die boer die raamwerk kon gebruik om ‘n sisteem te konfigureer en het die vereistes van die sisteem suksesvol gekommunikeer. Terugvoering het getoon dat die raamwerk kompleks kan word. Daarom word dit aanbeveel om ‘n konsultant in te span wat die raamwerk verstaan om die kleinskaal boer te lei om die raamwerk te gebruik.. Dit word ook aanbeveel dat die raamwerk gebruik word om as ‘n opvoedings middel wannneer regeringsorganisasies en derde partye skemas en programme skep. Masters 2022-10-31T12:01:00Z 2023-01-16T12:41:47Z 2022-10-31T12:01:00Z 2023-01-16T12:41:47Z 2022-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125930 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvii, 208 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Farms, Small Agricultural innovations Irrigation farming Artificial intelligence -- Agricultural applications Precision farming Industry 4.0 Agricultural systems UCTD Kloppers, Balthazar Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title | Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title_full | Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title_fullStr | Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title_short | Developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small-scale farmers |
| title_sort | developing a framework for a configuration of an irrigation system for small scale farmers |
| topic | Farms, Small Agricultural innovations Irrigation farming Artificial intelligence -- Agricultural applications Precision farming Industry 4.0 Agricultural systems UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125930 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kloppersbalthazar developingaframeworkforaconfigurationofanirrigationsystemforsmallscalefarmers |