population particularly. Not just in India but almost all countries across the globe practice some form of agriculture or the other to meet the needs of their countrymen and often also from the trading perspective be it within the country’s boundaries or beyond it. In earlier times, this industry was mainly dependent upon natural factors and human labor, whereas now technologies like IoT and blockchain have found implementation in this sector in not just one but many beneficial ways. There are a number of difficulties that this industry has to tackle with. Some of them can be seen as, once the farm produce is obtained only about 50% of the total quantity produced is actually delivered to the end users the rest of it undergoes wastage due to multiple reasons. Another one being the natural degradation of the land resources, with continuous exploitation of the land and soil in order to yield crops for commercial purposes, the maximum capacity and quality of the produce is deteriorating with the passage of time. There are occasions where there has been loss of crop due to either unexpected weather patterns or pest outbreak or even instances of wild animals that happen to enter the field, ruining large portions of the produce. At times, variables such as fluctuation in demand drop in prices or excessive presence of middlemen that may hamper the growth of this industry. Let us know explore what solutions are offered by the technologies of IoT and blockchain and how they are beneficial for this industry [9]. Before the farmers sow the seeds of any crop, they must be aware about the demand that the crop has. It is possible to have an estimate of the same by analysing the trends in the sale of the crop over the previous years. This ensures that demand and supply can be kept proportional hence avoiding wastage and loss.
Crops are best sold fresh therefore incorporation of IoT with the logistics responsible for delivering the product to the market would allow the producer as well as the consumer to be sure of the food being fresh and also to keep a check that no wastage occurs during the transportation of the same. IoT can also serve to improve the quality of the crop. Sensors such as air temperature and humidity sensors, soil pH sensors, sensors to check the water content of the soil, and sensors to evaluate the nutrient content of the soil. All these when connected to each other and onto a server will deliver wholesome information and allow the farmer to cater to the needs of the crop in a better manner. Since every crop has varying requirements of all these factors the farmer can set the parameter in keeping with those that best suit the crop thus allowing him to achieve the optimum conditions for plant growth. In case there is any deviation that is either lack or excess of any factor the farmer will get to know though his smart mobile connected onto the server where signals from all the sensors are stored, this mechanism will ensure better care to the to the target crop and thus provide better quantity and quality.
A suggested application in this field is to use surveillance cameras along with motion sensors. These motion sensors would be equipped to sense the movement of a body that would resemble that of pests which are dangerous to the crop. If any such motion is detected, the farmer will immediately be alerted through this mobile device and he can also access the cameras output at the time and therefore will be able to keep the produce safe [10]. The problems that faced while trying to implement these technologies in the agricultural industry are the high investment required for installation of required equipment and the technologies ought to bring about sea change in the functioning of this industry and due to lack of any technical knowledge the farmers will face difficulty adapting to this new system. However, once these are successfully integrated these techniques they will serve to regain the vibrancy and attain higher crop yields and better quality final products overall application in the field of agriculture can be seen in Figure 1.5.
Figure 1.5 IoT and Blockchain in agriculture industry.
1.5.2 Manufacturing Industry
Manufacturing industry particularly is embracing these potential technologies. Many are already using supervised systems with connectivity, these production units are able to deliver almost 100% efficiency as they are able to pre-plan and also predict any possible problems before they actually happen and cause delays. All the equipment that is connected via IoT to one another continuously receive and transmit information and maintain coordination helping yield the maximum product from the available raw material in minimum time. The intelligent objects are capable to sense, behave and act in the smart environment to ease the task, reduce human intervention, and increase precision and efficiency. Let us consider an example to see how there technologies are applicable in the manufacturing industry. As in Figure 1.6, consider a car manufacturing company; here, a large number of jobs are conducted ranging from manufacturing various car parts to assembling them together to attain the final product. A key necessity throughout the process is that of accuracy and machines cater to this need which is further enhanced with the incorporation of IoT. Apart from applying IoT to operate the equipment of this industry, its scope can be extended further.
Sensors can be attached to the parts that when put together make the car functional. Followed by connecting all these entities onto a network and establish communication between. It is because of this concept that a user is able to control certain features of the vehicle through an app or with voice commands. Along with this, these sensors will send signals to alert the user about any defect that may arise in the vehicle during the course of its usage. The manufacturing company may also keep access to the cloud that stores the sensor’s output. They may foresee any part failure and warn the user for the need of service for the vehicle as when required. In case an accident occurs, the company will be able to trace the cause down. Also, say, if multiple complaints are received regarding products manufactured in a particular batch, other vehicles that house products from the same batch may be tracked down and taken care of. This will, in turn, improve the after sale service quality and ensure more convenience and enhanced safety to the customers [11]. Involving IoT also lets manufacturing companies better analyse the sale pattern of various commodities and the can manage production according in a manner such that the quantity produced is proportional to the demand, this will ensure that not huge amounts of surplus of a particular commodity might remain unused, whereas there may be shortage of another product. There we observe that these technologies serve varying purposes all for the betterment of this industry, to meet customer demands and requirements and also to maintain the company’s profit at a high level.
Figure 1.6 IoT and blockchain in manufacturing industry.
1.5.3 Food Processing Industry
Under the sphere of the food processing industry, certain advancements have been brought about with the introduction of technologies such as IoT and blockchain [12]. One major feature is the better traceability of all the commodities throughout the farm-to-plate chain. The quality of the raw material that any such industry uses is of key importance and can be kept track of by linking all aspects and platforms where the material is passed through. It helps to ensure that the raw material has been treated properly and stored under sanitary and suitable conditions according to its nature. For example, any milk-based product requires to be stored under a cool temperature at all times and any carelessness in this regard would lead to spoiled food which if in any case is served to humans may lead to condition of illness. The same is applicable to all perishable items; they require careful handling and processing. Also, when it comes to food, most people are very picky with their choices. It is important for these companies to provide accurate details about the things that have been put into any particular product. Some individuals also bear allergies and need to ensure that they do not consume anything that they are allergic to or else it may lead to severe reactions and discomfort. This adds onto
