Blockchain-Secured Big Data Platform for Sustainable Soil Resource Optimization and Agricultural Safety

Abstract

This study proposes a new version of a big data platform integrating blockchain technology for the management of sustainable soil resources and agricultural security. The solution offers a new way to collect data using IoT, decentralized big data storage, and blockchain technology to ensure safe, transparent, and reliable management of agricultural data. The real-time soil, meteorological and environmental data is collected, validated and processed, resulting in valuable information and actions for farmers and stakeholders. The results regarding quantitative data are that the improvement is deemed to be remarkable after the system adoption. The soil moisture level increased by 17%, while the nitrogen and phosphorus levels increased by 45% and 50%, respectively, which contributed to increased soil fertility. Water usage reduced by 29%, fertilizer usage reduced by 31%, energy usage reduced by 22% with improved utilization of the resources. Such cuts offer an economic saving and contribute to environmental sustainability. Moreover, crop production rose by 2.8 - 3.9 tons per acre, while the number of failed crops dropped from 18% to 9%, confirming improved agricultural security and productivity. By introducing blockchain, the system ensures integrity, transparency, and safe access of data, promoting trust within the system among its users. The recommended platform can be seen as a method that can help in better management of soil resources, sustainable agriculture and as a flexible platform for modern agriculture.