BEING from a remote community has its challenges, but that did not deter students of Baramita Secondary School, who remained resilient and secured second place at the recently concluded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Guyana Science Fair.
The team comprised students Raphael Baird, Alejandro James, and Ryan Fonsat, guided by their teachers, Sir Carlos Adams and Head Teacher Audrey Williams-Massiah.
They journeyed to the city and participated in the Upper Secondary Category under Agricultural Science with their project: “Smart Irrigation System Using IoT (Internet of Things) and Data Analytics.”

Together, the students and teachers designed and implemented a Smart Irrigation System that utilises IoT and data analytics to optimise water usage in agriculture, with a focus on Baramita, Region One.
Given the limited water resources available from wells in their community, the system automates irrigation based on real-time soil moisture, temperature, and humidity data.

Using an Arduino microcontroller, sensors, relays, and a drip irrigation mechanism, the system ensures efficient water use while promoting sustainable farming practices.
Their study details the system architecture, programming logic, data analysis, and field-testing outcomes. Results indicated a 40 per-cent reduction in water wastage, improved crop health, and enhanced irrigation efficiency.

The project was developed to address challenges of water scarcity, inefficient irrigation, and declining crop yields faced by farmers in Baramita.
By utilising soil moisture sensors, automated valves, and data-driven decision-making, the system allows real-time monitoring and precise water delivery to crops.

Preliminary results highlighted a significant reduction in water wastage, improved crop health, and increased farming efficiency, demonstrating the transformative potential of smart irrigation systems in enhancing food security and promoting climate-smart agriculture in rural communities.
Their project was guided by the hypothesis: If a smart irrigation system using IoT sensors is implemented, then water usage will decrease and crop health will improve because irrigation will be based on real-time soil moisture, temperature, and humidity data.

According to Head Teacher Audrey Williams-Massiah, the students were elated to place second in the agriculture section among six other competitors.
She told the Guyana Chronicle that the idea for the project originated when she observed that her vegetable garden at Baramita would suffer whenever she left her residence on the school compound, as there was no one to water the plants, causing them to dry up and perish.

Motivated to find a solution, Williams-Massiah began researching irrigation ideas, initially exploring ways to switch her sprinkler system from solar to generator power, since the community lacks electricity.
Through her research, she sourced materials that were accessible to the school and community, leading to the collaborative development of the Smart Irrigation System that was showcased at the STEM fair.

The STEM Guyana Science Fair brought together students from all 10 administrative regions, featuring over 200 booths of student-led projects exploring practical and creative solutions through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).
The three-day event was hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, with dozens of secondary school students demonstrating their projects through live displays.

Baramita Village, located in Region One (Barima-Waini), is one of the largest Amerindian settlements in Guyana, with an estimated population of 3,000 to 3,500, predominantly from the Carib (Kariña) tribe. The village council also oversees 22 satellite communities.
Residents rely heavily on limited well water and often purchase additional water from shops, driving up living costs. Traditional manual irrigation practices also contribute to inefficient water use, further straining local resources.

The implementation of a Smart Irrigation System in Baramita aims to optimise water usage through precision irrigation triggered only, when necessary, reduce dependency on purchased water and lower associated costs and enhance crop health and yields by providing appropriate watering levels.

The system leverages IoT technology and data analytics to automate irrigation processes, promoting sustainable agricultural practices based on real-time data — a remarkable achievement for the students and teachers of Baramita Secondary School.