Post-harvest grain spoilage reduction for agriculture using IoT sensing and machine learning
Cutting post-harvest grain spoilage in India with low-cost sensing and machine learning.
The Challenge
India produces about 263.3 million tons of food grains per year, but annual post-production losses run to 15 million tons — enough to feed one third of India’s poor. Small-scale rice producers rely on periodic human inspection of drying and storage; interventions come too late, spoilage is fast, and expertise and resources are scarce (press release).
The Solution
NQM’s GrainCare puts low-cost wireless sensor nodes into paddy drying and storage: nodes measure ambient humidity and temperature around the warehouse, report continuously to the cloud, and machine-learning models predict the moisture content inside the grains — removing the need for human intervention. Farmers get mobile alerts with recommended actions the moment moisture or temperature rises, and open APIs let the sensing and control system attach to the widest range of drying equipment. Brunel University London developed the sensor suite, encapsulation and moisture-determination algorithms; IIFPT Thanjavur anchored the Indian deployment.
Outcomes
The project delivered a robust, low-cost automated paddy monitoring system, trialled with a farmers’ cooperative and IIFPT in India, optimising crop yield, storage moisture levels, energy use and labour time through simple interfaces usable by the target market.
In Detail
Moisture sensing in grain silos and in the field. Data analytics and IoT devices are powerful tools for reducing spoilage and increasing yields in agriculture. GrainCare puts low-cost wireless sensing into paddy drying and storage, with machine learning predicting the moisture inside the grain itself — so farmers act the moment conditions turn, not when the next inspection happens to find the problem. The GrainCare prototype was trialled in India with a farmers’ cooperative and the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur.
“The proliferation of digital technology and data analytics in agriculture is contributing to the lives of farmers and agricultural service providers in developing country economies.” — IIFPT, Ministry of Food Processing Industries
GrainCare was delivered with Brunel University London, IIFPT and the TN Foodgrains Marketing Yard under the Newton Fund UK–India programme, part of NquiringMinds’ wider agritech portfolio alongside its work with MMU, RADI, SAE, HEBAU and Langfang.
Features
Low-cost wireless sensor nodes for humidity and temperature in drying and storage.
Continuous cloud reporting with prediction of moisture content inside the grain (not just ambient readings).
Mobile alerts to farmers with recommended actions during drying and storage.
Open APIs/interfaces for integration with diverse drying equipment and processes.
Automated monitoring affordable for small-scale producers.
Benefits
Reduced post-harvest spoilage and improved yields for small-scale rice producers (India loses 15m tons of food grains annually post-production).
Sustainability aligned with producers' economic incentives.
Successful prototype trial in India with a farmers' cooperative and IIFPT.
NQM joined the 2016 delegation fronted by then-PM Theresa May presenting top UK SMEs to Indian investors.
