Web-Based Gis Paddy Precision Farming for Decision Support System

DEVELOPMENT OF WEB PRECISION FARMER

Nik Norasma Che’Ya1, Abdul Rashid Mohamed Shariff1, Mohd Amin Mohd Soom1, Siti Khairunniza Bejo1, Ahmad Rodzi Mahmud2, Ebrahim Jahansiri1 and Fauzul Azhan1

1Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

2Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

[email protected]/[email protected]

Abstract

Precision farming is used the right input, with the right amount, at the right place and the right time. It is a good technique in farm management. Results from the technique are very important and useful, but this information can’t share with others to see and do some study on that. Solution for this problem is providing the information via a “Web Precision Farmer”, which is the name of this web-based GIS. Farmers can access their information from this web. This study explores the use of open source software, MapGuide Open Source, MapGuide Maestro, PHP, Apache Web server and MySQL database. The study area was selected at Selangor in Malaysia. The Web Precision Farmer is developed in this research allows the farmers to access the information about rice cultivation in their area. The system allows variable rate fertilizer application maps to be printed for the farmers. Farmers are aided by the historical data about yield per paddy lot and fertilizer application in the previous planting seasons. This information helps the farmers to analyze and reflect on the best strategy for the coming growing season. The benefits of this work is to allows information sharing capabilities among farmers especially on rice production, such as recommendations of fertilizer, and to provide equal access to web- based information from end-users to policy makers for improving the productivity and efficiency of rice production through precision farming.

(Keywords: Web-based GIS, precision farming, open source, and decision support system)

1 1. Introduction

Precision farming (PF) is a term used to describe the management of variability within field boundaries, i.e. applying agronomic inputs in the right place, at the right time and in the right quantity to improve the economic efficiency and diminish the environmental impact of crop production (Earl, Thomas and Blackmore, 2000). Besides, it is in fact a comprehensive system designed to optimize agriculture production by carefully tailoring soil and crop management to fit the different conditions found in each field while maintaining environmental quality (Blackmore, 1994). The PF organizations of today can provide the knowledge for the environment friendly agriculture of tomorrow. PF offers chance to improve agriculture productivity, product quality, reduces agro-chemical wastage through efficient application, which result in minimizing environment pollution and in energy conservation (Zamzam et al., 2008, Auernhammer, 2001, Batte et al., 2003 and Mu-Lien, 2002). However, it is difficult to manage and share such data from the PF. In this research, a Web Precision Farmer has been developed to solve these problems for PF research in providing the data and information to others.

According to (Mamada, Sasao, Shibusawa, Sakai, & Machida, 2006) in their research “Development of a web-based GIS Precision Farming”, the system is intended to be used by PF research groups and allows centralized management, data sharing between users, and evaluation of PF data. The data storage and analysis needs of PF are beyond the resources of most farmers and procedures and analytical processes are not always available in “canned” packages (certainly not in any one package), so a powerful, open development environment is needed add Mamada, et al., 2006. In recent years the Geographic Information (GI) sector has begun to recognize the importance and role of the web for the dissemination of spatial information, with many GI technology vendow now offering extended systems of Internet Map Server (IMS) to their desktop products e..g. ArcIMS, Geomadia, GE Smallword IMS (Sanphet Chunithipaisan, Philip James, David Parker, Zainal Abdul Majid, & Simon Abede, 2003). Geospatial portal (geoportal) is a popular online communication medium for related agencies, i.e. both government and private in disseminating spatial and aspatial information to their respective users (Dionnald Beh BoonHeng & Alias Abdul Rahman, 2008). This is what this study tries to do it but use OS product, not like (Sanphet Chunithipaisan et al., 2003), their research used commercial product.

Web-based GIS technologies can be promote to share geospatial data with farming community, plantation sector, and academic community and also it helps to make the best decision with the available information on growing crops (P. K. S. C Jayasinghe & Machida, 2008). In their research they used MapServer. According to (P. K. S. C Jayasinghe & Machida, 2008) the main feature of MapServer is users are not requiring installing any other additional tools to view maps than a standard web browsers. But for the interface should do some customization in the coding in map file. The Map files define the layers, including the layer’s thematic characteristics (style, color), labeling, and display scale range (CYN Norasma, ARM Shariff, MSM Amin, S Khairunizza-Bejo, & AR Mahmud, 2008). From (CYN Norasma et al., 2008) research,

2 they change the style all in the map file, sometimes it difficult to change and a bit confusion. Added (Suseno & Ati Rahadiati, 2008) MapServer mapfile in which some parameters and some metadata entries are mandatory. Different with MapGuide Open Source (OS) all the template are there. Just choose the suitable template. But the basic function still mostly same like MapGuide OS. The user can use simple navigation operations such as Zooming, Panning, Layering and Legend display and can export customized maps as a PDF document (Panos Panaos, Marc Van Liedelkerke, Luca Montanarella, & Jones, 2008).

Web-based GIS is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for user to find their information. ICT can facilitate extension and advisory services on a real time basis, which will enable farmers to plan ahead their productivity, post-harvest management and marketing in an efficient manner (Gupta, 2007). The advance technologies used in PF are Remote Sensing (RS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS is a system composed of hardware and software used for storage, retrieval, mapping and analysis of spatially reference data. It creates a link between spatial data and their related descriptive information (Map India, 2005). In addition, most of the GIS applications have recently been moved from desktop to web-based (Jayasinghe et al., 2008). Web Precision Farmer is an application which realizes the integration of GIS with internet . The World Wide Web (WWW) is an open community of hypertext-enabled document servers and readers on the web. As well as, ICT has created new opportunities to accelerate the information of traditional farming into precision agriculture (Auernhammer, 2001). Distributing geospatial information on the internet is an enforcing factor for information providers (P. K. S. C Jayasinghe & Machida, 2008). Presenting the statistics in an interactive map form allows the user to identify trends, patterns and/or relationships spatially said (Arnel B. Rala & Kam, 2004).

There has been an explosion of mapping applications on the web such as Google Maps, Live Maps and so on. These websites give the public access to huge amounts of geographic data and spatial data. However is needed higher cost and special requirement of GIS software to build up the websites with GIS data. Many organizations avoid from deploying their data and geoprocessing capabilities over the WWW. Nevertheless, this problem can be solved by using an OS approach. OS is an approach to design, develop, and distribution offering practical accessibility to a product's source. Similarly, it is defined by its attached license which abandons essential rights granted to the original creator by copyright law. Finally, this procedure gives anyone the opportunity to redistribute and modify any receive OS software. MapGuide OS is one example the OS.

1.1 Scenario in Malaysia

In developing countries like Malaysia, the agriculture sector will greatly benefit from ICT support. Besides, online information, consultation and land suitability maps with web-based GIS can play an important role in improving and updating the knowledge of farming groups (Jayasinghe et al., 2008). On the other hand, there is a lack of online information for the agriculture sector such as the nice granary in Tanjung Karang. Most

3 of the rural areas in developing countries are information isolated. Consequently, farmers are still engaged with traditional farming with limited application of modern technologies. Furthermore, application map in paddy PF in web-based GIS environment are generally unavailable to farmer. Presently, the available application map is based on desktop computer where only one person has access to the data. In addition, any other information about crop cultivation and fertilizer information are only available in hardcopy format, such as books or journal. Most of the farmers are unable to pay for the required information.

Web Precision Farmer can be a better solution for most of these problems. Therefore the aims of this research are to develop an interactive Web-based GIS Decision Support System (DSS), which provides information on paddy PF and create application map. Thus this Web Precision Farmer is specially developed for farmers and other interested parties with little experience in using Information Technology (IT).

This study highlights the technical issues related to web-based system interaction with the Hypertext Pre-Processor (PHP), and mechanism developed for dynamically building new web pages in respond to user input. However, the primary users of the system are those who already have internet access.

2. Methodology

2.1 System requirements and scope

The following hardware and software were used:

- Memory 4gb - Processor Intel Xeon Dual Core 3.0Ghz - HardDisk 160gb (OS-60gb, Data 100gb) - 100/1000 TX LAN - MapGuide OS - Apache HTTP Server 2.x - PHP 5.2.1 - MySQL - FDO 3.2.3 - Libjpeg.so - Mono Software and MapGuide Maestro

The datasets of Tanjung Karang area comes from the Malaysia Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA), and from the image, digitized the boundary with cooperation with researcher in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Soil sampling from paddy plot was collected from soil unit research in UPM. Meanwhile the yield map also got from yield unit research in UPM.

2.2 Flow chart of the methodology

4 Figure 1, shows the flow chart of the methodology for Web Precision Farmer. Early research phase is to find the objective and scope of the research. After determine the objectives and scope, designed the architecture of the web and collected the data needed. Architecture of Web Precision Farmer will explain details in next paragraph. The data come from different sources. The boundary for the Tanjung Karang area got from the MRSA like mention earlier. Soil sampling data, come from the soil unit in UPM and generate the fertilizer map by using PADDY GIS. PADDY GIS is a system for generate the fertilizer map depends on the EC data from the soil sampling team (Fauzul Azhan et al., 2008) . The fertilizer map shows the amount for NPK value needed for each plot. The final map here will display in this web. Fertilizer map is very important because it save the cost rather than put the large amount of the fertilizer. So please do not waste the fertilizer because it is not cheap to buy. This is why it calls precision farming.

The point sampling also shows in the Web Precision Farmer so that users or farmers can know value of nutrient in their plot for per season. The raw data originally in Microsoft Excel format then did convection process to shapefile format by using GIS software. All the data stored in database refer figure 1. Others spatial data used are soil series map, point sampling, and paddy plot. All layers overlaid with others so that user can make decision or prediction for their coming production.

Attribute data collected from Department of Agriculture (DOA) such as “Rice Check” information, pest and disease information and how to controlling the pest and disease. All the recommendation got from the DOA. The “Rice Check” was developing using PHP languages to make it interactive with the user. User can insert the date for planting the paddy so the result for “Rice Check” will show follow their actual date. The function used PHP language and MySQL are for a database. Once everything has done the testing and modification will implement. To investigate the accessibility and flexibility of the Web Precision Farmer, User Acceptance Test (UAT) and System Integration Test (SIT) has been carried out via internet to the user in Tanjung Karang.

Figure 1: Flow chart of the methodology

2.3 Architecture of Web Precision Farmer

5 Figure 2, shows the architecture of Web Precision Famer. The data come from various agency and store in database. MapGuide Maestro is for data editing and upload the data in internet. All the data that display in internet edited in MapGuide Maestro. It is also free software and easy to use. After download from http://trac.osgeo.org/mapguide/wiki/maestro and install the Maestro, the software is ready to use and can add the data easily by using the general step.

Figure 2: Hi-level Architecture of web GIS

The requirement for installing MapGuide Maestro software is Mono software for Linux only, not for Windows. The Mono software can be downloaded from http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page. Figure 3 shows, the interface of MapGuide Maestro software. There started with uploaded the data first, then created a layer and finally made a map. From this interface, the software can change the color and so on. It is so easy to use and stable.

Figure 3: MapGuide Maestro interface

Figure 4 shows the architecture of Web Precision Farmer, basically there have

6 two sides. The first side is server, which was developed using MapGuide OS and Apache web server to augment point observations with other GIS data layers such as series map, fertilizer map, and paddy plot and area boundaries. This is the basic function of Web Precision Farmer which allows users to navigate and visualize area of interest on map at different scales according to the selected areas.

The client side interface is developed by using PHP and MySQL established a database connection that enables users to integrate web-based map browsing, spatial query, data services, and map overlaying capabilities. Therefore, based on the selection of parameters by the user, a SQL query can be built and sent to the database server for execution. The results of the execution can be obtained by the web application server and converted into human readable format to be presented in the client-side web browser.

Figure 4: Architecture of Web-based GIS

4. Results

4.1 System Menu Hierarchy

Figure 5 shows the main menu hierarchy for Web Precision Farmer. The menu contains six modules which are main menu, introduction, agricultural information, e- paddy, controlling, and contact.

7 Figure 5: Menu hierarchy of Web Precision Farmer

Inside the Main page there is welcoming notes and link with others organization like DOA and so on. Inside the introduction module there is a gallery and map of Tanjung Karang using Google Earth application. An agriculture information module there consists of crop schedule, pest and disease information. The E-paddy application consists 3 major modules in side, which is E-paddy, “RiceCheck” and GIS info. Inside in E-Paddy menu, there have three different applications like map, yield and PADDY GIS. Map will link with the MapGuide OS layer; from there user can display their layer. For the yield is actually collection of pre-processing of yield map from the season. Here users can find their map by browse from the function PADDY GIS is link the menu to system PADDY GIS. From here, user can create the fertilizer map and see the results.

In “RiceCheck” menu, there have 2 main section which is User Information manual and “RieceCheck”. In this both section show the details how to do the “RiceCheck” activities. The GIS Info module is application map from soil sampling and yield from the season. So the users can compared their yield from another season. We combine all the functions in one system and designed the interfaces nicely to provide user friendly and simplicity to the end users. Controlling modules is the information how to control the fungus, weed and pest. User can enter the name of the fungus and the results will show to them.

4.2 The mapping approach

The mapping approach is based on historical data about client distribution and availability of plant nutrients in the soil. However, both pieces of information can be established in practice accurately. The web shows the map using MapGuide server. Figure 6 shows the map browser sites which allows users to browse (zoom in/out/pan)

8 maps, change displayed layers, query, and retrieve data. Users can view their map by clicking on the box of the menu layers (Figure 6). In figure 7, also show the attribute for the fertilizer map, it shows how much to put the NPK in the plot.

Figure 6: Spatial data

9 Figure 7: Map layers for selection plot.

Therefore, farmers can get instant access and information to improve their rice production, which is vastly beneficial for them and managers. As a result, a good relationship will be built among farmers and policy makers.

Furthermore, according to DOA one of the most important management tools in growing rice is a “Ricecheck”. It has led to great changes in rice management and extension delivery. In additional, farmers can now monitor and check crop, have a group meeting with agronomists to discuss results and progress compared to the benchmarks for high yields. The components of the program are the “Ricecheck” Recommendations, the Crop Database and farmer discussion groups. Consequently, “Ricecheck” has created a learning culture and also led to closer collaboration between farmers and key stakeholders. Similarly, these web-based farmers can check for their daily activities based on pre-schedule activities that they must do during the growing season (Figure 8).

10 Figure 8: The interface of “Ricecheck” showing all activities to be done by farmers.

Figure 9: Information about pest and diseases

Figure 9 shows the information about pest and disease. Users can search the information from this web. This is very useful for finding the related information. Furthermore, in this Web Precision Farmer, it is capable of show the yield information for each plot based on season.

4.3 Decision Support System (DSS)

11 Web Precision Farmer is a useful for user to make decision from the web. Figure 10 show the DSS process for Web Precision Farmer. The issues are collected data from various agency, and store in one database. By using GIS functionalities, users can create digital mapping, overlay analysis, interpolation and so on. From all this results, users can make decision or make prediction from the previous result to better management for next season. Users especially managers can create an action plan from the result to give to farmers so that they can manage their field in right way.

Figure 10: Decision support system in Web Precision Farming

5. Statistic

Testing to the user is the last phase in this research. This is for get feedback from the users and does some improvement from their comments. User accessibility has been carried out via internet to the end user to investigate the accessibility and flexibility of the web GIS. These surveys were being done for farmers and managers at the Integrated Agriculture Development Area (IADA) office in Tanjung Karang. There were 26 respondents. All (100%) of the respondents have used and are familiar with computers and the internet. Hence, all of them can access the web easily.

From these 26 respondents (Figure 11a), 3.80% are very satisfied with the web while 69.20% are satisfied. The rest (26.90%) are not satisfied. In farmers’ category, 65% are satisfied and the rest are not satisfied. From these results, observed that the initial implementation of web based paddy PF is successful. However, there is much scope for improvement to the Web Precision Farmer the feedback and results of the user study.

12 Further improvement to the Web Precision Farmer system needs to be done to make it more flexible and user friendly.

Figure 11a: The percentages that satisfied with the Web Precision Farmer

Figure 11b: The percentages between managers and farmers who are satisfied with the Web Precision Farmer

6. Discussion and conclusion

This research was developing for Tanjung Karang area only. In Tanjung Karang, only eight plots involved and the user accessibility are tested for those in these eight plots only. This is can be the pilot project for whole area in Malaysia.

The Web Precision Farmer now is new solution for farmers to share and search information about their paddy field. Web Precision Farmer was develop using several OS for database management, MySQL and PHP, internet server management (Apache), interactive web client interface (PHP, and MapGuide OS) and geographical data visualization through the internet. This Web Precision Farmer allows user to search their map, find pest and disease information, and there are modules inside which are very useful for managers and farmers like “Ricecheck”. Its extensive search capability provides users good references to identify and understand more on pest management. In future, with advance analysis such as producing map application online and analysis can

13 be done via internet in real time. Furthermore, farmers are generally conversant in their native language. As such, in our approach, which was to provide an online system for Malaysian farmers, we chose Malay language for the interface, so that the farmers and managers can easily understand the contents and comfortable with them. Beside that for English version also is provided for international users.

6.1 MapGuide OS

MapGuide OS was created by Autodesk in late 2006 when the company want re- architect the MapGuide platform (Niemiec, 2009). But they still have the commercial version of it, called Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise. The Architecture for MapGuide OS is full server-side application where all the processing of mapping information resides on the server. For the Web server, MapGuide OS can utilize the Apache Web Server, in addition to the Microsoft Internet Information Services. When publish the final Web map it can distribute maps in ether a vector or raster format.

Different with Mapserver, the editing must change in map file, but in MapGuide OS, all the setting can be done in MapGuide Maestro. MapGuide Maestro is very easy to use and support different data format like shp, dxf and so on. The step to upload the data via internet is start from upload data, make a layer and make a map. The layout can choose from their template so that show the map in nice template. It is very easy rather than to change in map file for MapServer.

6.2 Knowledge base

This Web Precision Farmer, can be a knowledge base for user to know the information about their plot, production for each season, information about pest and disease and how to controlling the pest and disease. In order to controlling their pest and disease, user can select their pest or disease from the scroll bar and the information of type product and the amount of the input can be show. All the information can search from this web site, so user can find the information easily.

6.3 Conclusion

For the conclusion, this research discovered that the installation of the map server software is simple and easy to use and it is flexible same as usually available in the commercial packages. The implementation progress is observed and the capability of the server is tested to the user.

Graphic user interface (GUI) that is offered by the MapGuide OS make it easy. However, basic knowledge of PHP and HTML therefore is required in order to utilize the MapGuide OS. MapGuide OS offer as an alternative for online mapping and could be used for cheap and rapid distribute of spatial information. Acknowledgement

14 Special thanks to the MRSA, IADA Barat Laut Selangor, BPSP, DID, MARDI, MIMOS Berhad, Spatial Research Group and members of the Precision Farming Engineering Research (PREFER) Group at the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and ITMA, UPM for their collaboration.

References

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Gupta, R. (2007). ICT for an ailing Agriculture Sectore. Information for Development. Retrieved 1 January, 2008, from www.i4donline.net

Map India 2005, (2005). Web GIS for Census of Tamil Nadu using Open Source, 7-9 February 2005, Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. Retrieved December 10, 2007 form http://www.mapindia.org/2005/papers/Web%20GIS/155. Information.

R. Earl, G.Thomas and Blackmore. (2000). The potential role of GIS in autonomous field operations. Computers and Electronics in agriculture.25, 107-120)

Website: http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page http://trac.osgeo.org/mapguide/wiki/maestro http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page hhtp://mapserver.gis.umn.edu