IoT Enabled Water Management Systems in Sustainable Agriculture Practices: A Comparative Analysis in Rural Kenyan Communities

IoT enabled water management systems are increasingly being adopted in agriculture to enhance efficiency and sustainability. The research employed a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative data from IoT sensor readings with qualitative interviews to evaluate system performance and user perceptions. A significant proportion (60%) of participants reported improved water usage efficiency, resulting in a 15% reduction in irrigation water loss compared to traditional methods. The study suggests that IoT-enabled systems can significantly enhance sustainable agricultural practices by optimising resource use and reducing environmental impact. Communities should be provided with training on system maintenance and usage to maximise benefits, while policymakers could incentivize the adoption of these technologies through subsidies or grants. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.