CEO Yu said, “The Netherlands has been collecting data on crop cultivation for over 100 years. Based on the data of such advanced countries as well as Korea, Science Farm plans to develop smart farm solutions specifically for crop cultivation in countries in Africa and Asia, such as Rwanda and Mongolia.” Yu has been collecting domestic crop cultivation data for three years.

The company’s core smart farm technologies comprise sensors, IoT devices, an algorithm for the analysis of big data, and a sturdy enclosure for sensors and other devices that enables the system to operate under harsh environmental conditions, much like certain national defense products.

As plants are sensitive to changes in the environment, such as changes in temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration, a range of sensors are placed in a weather station outside to measure external conditions such as temperature, wind direction and speed, and amount of insolation as well as in an enclosed instrument shelter inside the greenhouse to gather data on internal conditions such as temperature, humidity, ground temperature and moisture, and carbon dioxide concentration. 

Using IoT technology, the weather data is transmitted to a telecommunications device and analyzed as big data to determine what automated actions should be taken inside the greenhouse, such as the opening and closing of windows and irrigation.Currently, strawberries, paprika, watermelon, lettuce, and red pepper are being grown using this technology. CEO Yu said, “Peppers can be damaged by excessive rain and strong sunlight, reducing yields. Using our smart farm solution, however, increases greenhouse yields fourfold. And as the technology reduces the need for the human monitoring of plants, it allows farmers and farm workers to enjoy a five-day workweek.”

Science Farm, a startup established last August, is currently conducting projects with KT while receiving assistance from the Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy & Innovation in investment, publicity, and overseas exhibitions.

By Hwang Jeong-seop (jshwang@heraldcorp.com)