Towards Sustainability in Agriculture

Abstract

Solar indirect dryer technology has long been recognized for its historical significance and cost-effectiveness in agricultural practices. Solar dryers are being developed as a sustainable solution for reduction of food scarcity particularly for drying food and storing it for longer durations. Among the various solar drying methods, solar indirect dryers stand out for their efficiency and economy, offering a reliable means of preserving food quality and availability during off-season periods. Despite their effectiveness, the current monitoring and control procedures for solar indirect dryers heavily rely on manual site visits by researchers, mainly due to the limitations of sensor-based systems in operation. In response to these challenges, this research proposes a transformative approach by integrating advanced sensors for continuous monitoring of temperature and humidity at multiple points within the solar indirect dryer. Additionally, the implementation of a smart data logger is introduced to automate the monitoring and recording processes,