Design And Implementation Of A Participatory Methodology For Precision Agriculture Using Sensor Networks In Smallholder Farm Of White Cabbage (Brassica Rapa Ssp. Pekinensis)

This research presents the design and implementation of a participatory methodology using sensor networks as the basis of precision agriculture for producers of white cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. Pekinensis) in Panama and China with the aim of transferring knowledge and mitigate the effects of the soil and climate change on crops of white cabbage. The research is divided into two major parts; the first is the development of a tool for transfer knowledge about technology of precision farming, using sensor networks for a group of small vegetable farmers and technicians of the Ministry of Agricultural of Panama in the province of Cocle. The second was the analysis of spatial variability of white mustard (Brassica rapa ssp. Pekinensis) this occurred in Panama in the summer months and Fuzhou China in autumn and winter. An analysis was performed at different stations since this was the time in which the vegetables grew in each place.For the implementation of the methodology we developed a total of 8 workshops and 66 follow-up monitoring activities that were covered between the months of December 2014 to February 2015. They were developed in Jaguito, district of La Pintada City, Cocle province, Panama. This methodology was transferred to a significant group of beneficiaries; among them were 65 people, of the audience 66% were agriculture extensions, engineers and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture of Panama,28% were small producers of Chinese vegetables and 6% were sons of the farmers involved in this activities. The present investigation evaluates the knowledge of producer and technicians using quantitative and qualitative methods. Obtained a rate of 71.4% of knowledge transfer, the meaning of knowledge transfer is all related to topics covered in the workshop, language used, facilitator performance, time between workshops, dynamics, interaction and participation among producers and technicians. Therefore, the information, the appropriation, and the understanding of the incorporation of technology in the field were accepted. This research not only evaluates the participatory methodology, but also the traceability of the monitored data. As environmental variables are random in nature, with the implementation of precision technology in Panama, it was achieved that farmers take the decision or irrigate their crops through the analysis of the variable of soil humidity. Before the study farmers irrigate their crops 2 times a day in some cases 3, after use precision technology and analyze the heat maps to check the soil moisture, before to take the decision of irrigate or not, decrease in some cases to 1 time per day, with the reference maintained above 70% the soil humidity for a better development of the crop. After developing the first stage in Panama of the implementation of the methodology and technology has proceeded to implement the technology in China, in this case took place in Fuzhou Jiamei CSA farm(??????),which is an organic farm. The experiment was developed during the season of autumn and winter since the vegetable is produced for that time in study site.Thus, I ran a multiple linear regression of main effects model, to see the degree of importance of each of the measured variables for the ranges recommended for each pilot test carried out, in the case of soil humidity in Panama was obtained a range for a good productivity between 83.99%-84.55% of soil humidity,25.80?-26.42? soil temperature 28.57?-29.32? of relative temperature,54.80%-66.31% of relative humidity in summer, and in the case of china was obtained a range between 47.95%-79.64% of humidity in the soil,18?-20.02? soil temperature 20.61?-21.70? of relative temperature,50.75%-54.35% of relative humidity in winter. Although the project was developed in two different scenes, with unequal environmental conditions and agricultural practices not similar, I made an analysis in the costs of production and agriculture practices in each of the cases. The pilot took place in Panama was carried out using chemical inputs, while the Chinese case organic products were used for the cultivation of white mustard. In the Chinese case the price of a pound of mustard on the Fuzhou Jiamei CSA farm(??????)estate was ?3.40, while Panama was ?2.77. If we refer to the performance by area (m2) China had the best performance, it was 8 pounds/m2, while in the Panama case yields were 5.49 pounds/m2. For this reason the margin of utility in case China stands out more than the case Panama since the prices per pound in China are higher than in Panama. Finally, this work will presents everything regarding the development of the project, the implementation of the methodology and all references and appendices to justify the contribution made to the community academic, agricultural, among other areas of impact.