EcoGrow Smart Irrigation System (EGSIS) A solar-powered, AI-enabled irrigation and water management system with live monitoring, alarms and ESG reporting for climate-smart food production, water resilience, land-based aquaculture and the circular economy

Abstract

The EcoGrow Smart Irrigation System (EGSIS) is a low-cost, solar-powered irrigation controller and water management system designed for small-scale vegetable production. It replaces calendar-based or manual watering with irrigation that responds to the actual moisture condition of the soil. Water is applied only when the crop needs it, and the entire system runs on solar energy stored in a long-life LiFePO4 battery. Agriculture is both a major user of freshwater and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, while small-scale growers in South Africa face unreliable electricity, rising energy costs, drought risk and limited access to technology. EGSIS addresses these pressures with a compact, affordable and measurable solution that links renewable energy, automation and intelligent water use. EGSIS also includes an AI and software layer. Machine-learning models adapt irrigation to different crops, growth stages and weather, while a web and mobile app gives growers live data on tank levels, solar generation and soil moisture, a dashboard of key performance indicators, and triggers and alarms for faults. The same data feeds automated ESG (environmental, social and governance) reports that growers can use to attract funding and investment.