Agriculture – 鶹Ƶ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:30:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-favicon_logo-32x32.jpg Agriculture – 鶹Ƶ 32 32 Smart Farming & Low-Cost DIY Farming Initiative /projects/smart-farming-low-cost-diy-farming-initiative/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:30:45 +0000 /?post_type=projects&p=20898 Read More... from Smart Farming & Low-Cost DIY Farming Initiative

]]> This project, led by Professor Dr Che Zalina Zulkifli, introduces Smart Farming and Low-Cost DIY Farming technologies to support community farmers and student learning in Samarinda, Kalimantan. The initiative addresses the need for affordable, scalable, and sustainable farming methods suitable for both rural and urban communities.

The approach aligns fully with the 鶹Ƶ Model, which connects university expertise with community-driven challenges, ensuring real implementation, measurable outcomes, and long-term impact.

Farmers and local communities in Samarinda face several limitations:

  • High cost of modern farming equipment
  • Inefficient water usage and traditional irrigation methods
  • Lack of exposure to IoT-based agricultural tools
  • Limited opportunities for green entrepreneurship

These issues restrict productivity and sustainability, creating a clear need for accessible, low-cost, technology-supported farming solutions.

Project Description

3.1 Smart Farming Technology

EduGreen@UPSI introduced practical and affordable tools:

  • IoT soil moisture sensors
  • Climate monitoring (temperature, humidity)
  • Automated smart watering systems
  • Mobile dashboard for real-time monitoring

3.2 Low-Cost DIY Farming Systems

To ensure community scalability, Prof Zalina’s model emphasised affordability and local materials:

  • DIY vertical farming modules
  • Low-cost drip irrigation kits
  • Compost tea nutrient production
  • Microcontroller-based automation (ESP32/NodeMCU)

Each system can be built with RM30–RM100, enabling widespread adoption.

3.3 Economic and Business Model Integration

The Faculty of Economy supported:

  • Micro-costing of farming operations
  • Market analysis for urban farming products
  • Business model development for micro-enterprises
  • Circular economy concepts (waste → compost → product → income)

Student Engagement & Academic Integration

Following 鶹Ƶ’s experiential learning principle, students:

  • Built and tested IoT prototypes
  • Conducted on-field deployment in test plots
  • Collected and analysed farm data
  • Prepared business plans for community farmers

Lecturers incorporated smart farming topics into teaching modules, creating sustainable academic continuity.

Outcomes and Impact

5.1 Community Impact

  • Farmers adopt simple, low-cost technologies
  • Improved water efficiency through automation
  • Increased awareness of sustainable agriculture practices

5.2 Educational Impact

  • New curriculum components for Smart Farming and IoT Agriculture
  • Cross-faculty collaboration strengthened
  • Students gain hands-on, real-world problem-solving experience

5.3 Economic Impact

  • Potential 20–40% reduction in operating costs
  • Opportunities for student-led agritech entrepreneurship
  • Local communities can commercialise DIY farming kits

Future Plans

  1. Establish 鶹Ƶ–EduGreen Smart Farming Hub at UNTAG 1945.
  2. Conduct annual Smart Agriculture Bootcamps for students and communities.
  3. Produce joint research papers and policy briefs.
  4. Expand the project to more districts in Kalimantan and ASEAN.

Leadership

This project reflects the leadership of
Professor Dr Che Zalina Zulkifli,
who continues to extend Malaysia’s green technology innovation to the global community through 鶹Ƶ aligned programs.

]]> CASNR Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement Program /projects/casnr-matador-institute-of-leadership-engagement-program/ /projects/casnr-matador-institute-of-leadership-engagement-program/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:08 +0000 https://commons.epicn.org/projects/casnr-matador-institute-of-leadership-engagement-program/ Read More... from CASNR Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement Program

]]> Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) began an innovative program to engage promising young adults with outstanding leaders in agricultural policy, natural resources, industry relations, and entrepreneurship. In an effort to address the increasing need for emerging leaders to fully understand the diverse issues, challenges, and opportunities affecting agriculture and rural America, the Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement was designed to give CASNR undergraduate students a unique, high-impact learning experience. The MILE is a competitive, 14-student, three-semester leadership and professional development program that seeks to develop participants’ personal and professional skills while exposing them to the key issues affecting local, state, and national agriculture.

Industry and community engagement are the backbone of the MILE Program. Current partners who are actively engaged with the program, include a combination of agricultural commodity and livestock organizations, and charitable organizations. MILE partners include the 1687 Foundation, San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Texas Corn Producers Board, and Landmark Nurseries Inc. The networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities that occur between leaders in these organizations and our student participants create a unique, high-impact experience that will propel them in their careers. Many opportunities exist to develop additional partners through field trips in Texas’ ag-producing regions, travel to Washington D.C. and Austin, and other experiential-based sessions.

]]> /projects/casnr-matador-institute-of-leadership-engagement-program/feed/ 0 Asset-Based Economic Development: Building Sustainable Small and Rural Communities /projects/asset-based-economic-development-building-sustainable-small-and-rural-communities/ /projects/asset-based-economic-development-building-sustainable-small-and-rural-communities/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:04 +0000 https://commons.epicn.org/projects/asset-based-economic-development-building-sustainable-small-and-rural-communities/ Read More... from Asset-Based Economic Development: Building Sustainable Small and Rural Communities

]]> How do we best develop the county with the limited resources available? This reportprovides an in – depth examination and analysis of Adams County, Wisconsin, located in North -Central, Wisconsin, to better understand its most prominent assets for economic development.Students were tasked with creating an asset map for the county that would help makebetter decisions on where to locate economic development projects and enhance the strategicmanagement of limited funds to promote short and long – term growth. In addition, a promotional“hype – video” was created using Adobe Premiere Pro software to showcase the county’s mostimportant functions for the greater public to see.

UniverCity Year Contact Info
Gavin Luter
Managing Director
gavin@cows.org
608-261-1141

University Faculty Contact

]]> /projects/asset-based-economic-development-building-sustainable-small-and-rural-communities/feed/ 0 Pikeville Farmer’s Market Development Plan /projects/pikeville-farmers-market-development-plan-2/ /projects/pikeville-farmers-market-development-plan-2/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:38:05 +0000 https://portal.epicn.org/case-stories/pikeville-farmers-market-development-plan/ Read More... from Pikeville Farmer’s Market Development Plan

]]> This course will develop a self-sustaining business and operating model for the new farmer’s market that is being constructed in Pikeville. Create a plan to cultivate a network of local farmers who will help promote and sell their products at the market. Plan must address marketing, funding, staffing, scheduling and other essential components to ensure market success. Impact areas include: health and economic benefits from locally grown food

]]> The task of the BE 460 students is to document and quantify stormwater challenges at the Cree Manor housing development in Walker Township and to assess and design possible solutions such as: re-design the stormwater outlet structure for the development, investigate whether water could be diverted, and consider whether best management practices (e.g., rain garden, rain barrel) implemented by homeowners would be effective.

]]> The Spring Creek Watershed Association is working on improving its website with additional and interactive features through the Spring Creek Watershed Atlas Project. The primary goal is to inform the public about the importance of the watershed and increased environmental pressures due to regional growth and development. Students in CED 309 will research locally applicable land-use patterns and trends and their impact, and will share findings in an online story map application.

]]> The Eco Farm uses a significant amount of cooking oil in its operation and would like to develop a 5 acre parcel for sunflower oil crops which would provide the feedstock to an oil pressing operation. Students are to determine the most viable oilseed crop for the farm, to develop a processing method for the seeds, to produce enough cooking oil for the farm for a year, and to utilize wastes from the pressing process in a viable way on the farm.

]]> The Eco Farm is interested in expanding biodigester inputs to include vegetable and food waste in its current and expanded plans for three biodigesters. Students are to design the system and model input and output efficiencies.

]]> Students will evaluate the feasibility of a methane digester in State College. They will consider whether the project is economically viable under the assumption that the collected methane gas would be sold to electric companies and the left over, nutrient rich fertilizer could be sold to the community.

]]> Students in ASM/ERM 309 will install water monitoring equipment at Halfmoon Creek and Buffalo Run to measure dissolved oxygen, water level, and rainfall. They will create technical maps of land uses in the watershed and create a comprehensive report of the water quality and land use findings.

Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.

Sustainable Communities Collaborative Contact Info

University Faculty Contact
Heather Gall
Information, Science, and Technology
Associate Professor
heg12@psu.edu
814-863-1817

Local Government / Community Contact
Ann Donovan

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