Design of a Low-Cost Automated Irrigation System Using Arduino for Enugu State Vegetable Farmers

Subsistence vegetable farming in Enugu State is frequently affected by inefficient manual irrigation, resulting in water wastage and reduced crop yields during dry seasons. This study designs a low-cost automated irrigation system using the Arduino microcontroller platform, targeting small-scale vegetable farmers across Enugu communities. The system employs capacitive soil moisture sensors, a relay-controlled water pump, and a timer-based scheduling module to deliver precise irrigation when soil conditions fall below defined moisture thresholds. The design process followed an engineering design methodology comprising problem analysis, conceptual design, hardware integration, software programming, and field validation. The system was prototyped and tested on a 50-square-metre vegetable plot in Enugu over eight weeks during the dry season. Results indicate that automated irrigation reduced daily water consumption by 41 percent compared to manual watering while improving soil moisture consistency. Tomato yield in the test plot increased by approximately 28 percent relative to the manually irrigated control plot. The total system component cost was estimated at under 25,000 naira, making it accessible for smallholder farmers. The study concludes that Arduino-based irrigation automation is technically feasible and economically appropriate for Enugu State agricultural contexts. Recommendations include solar-powered adaptation for off-grid farms and integration with mobile alert notifications.