Farmers lack a simple platform that merges weather forecasts, yield history, and soil/water data to predict crop cycles and irrigation schedules. Current solutions are fragmented or paid, limiting accessibility.
A monolithic Next.js app (with Leaflet maps + API routes) that:
- Collects weather + soil + historical yield data.
- Runs rule-based models (and ML later).
- Predicts crop cycles & irrigation schedules.
- Delivers guidance via dashboard + SMS/email export.
- Uses free-tier APIs and open datasets to remain cost-free initially.
- Frontend/UI → Next.js (monolithic app) + TailwindCSS (styling).
- Maps → Leaflet.js (free + OSM tiles).
- Database → Supabase (free Postgres + Auth + Storage) or SQLite (if self-hosting MVP).
- APIs → Next.js API routes (server-side).
- ML/Models → Rule-based irrigation engine inside Next.js API routes (later optional: Python FastAPI microservice).
- Notifications → Email (free via Resend / Gmail SMTP). SMS (paid, skip in MVP).
- Open-Meteo (Free, No API Key) → Weather forecast & historical data. 🔗 https://open-meteo.com/
- WeatherAPI (Free tier) → More detailed forecasts. 🔗 https://www.weatherapi.com/
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SoilGrids (ISRIC) → Global soil properties (texture, pH, organic carbon). 🔗 https://soilgrids.org/ API docs: https://rest.soilgrids.org/
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FAO AgroDataCube (open agri datasets). 🔗 https://data.wur.nl/datasets/agrodatacube
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Sentinel Hub (EO Browser) → Satellite data (NDVI, crop health). 🔗 https://www.sentinel-hub.com/explore/eobrowser/
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Google Earth Engine (free for research) → Satellite analytics. 🔗 https://earthengine.google.com/
- Leaflet.js → Free map rendering. 🔗 https://leafletjs.com/
- OpenStreetMap Tiles (free) → Map base layer. 🔗 https://www.openstreetmap.org/
- Nominatim (free geocoding) → Address ↔ lat/long. 🔗 https://nominatim.org/release-docs/develop/api/Search/
- Agmarknet (Gov. of India) → Daily mandi prices. 🔗 https://agmarknet.gov.in/
- Resend (free email API) → Simple farmer reports. 🔗 https://resend.com/
- Gmail SMTP (free) → Email via Gmail. Docs: https://support.google.com/a/answer/176600?hl=en
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Farmer Dashboard
- Leaflet map (draw/select farm location).
- Weather forecast widget (Open-Meteo).
- Soil profile (SoilGrids API).
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Crop Cycle Prediction
- Planting → Harvest timeline (based on crop type + weather).
- Seasonal suitability suggestions.
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Irrigation Scheduling
- Rule-based (crop coefficient + evapotranspiration from weather API).
- Calendar of irrigation dates/amounts.
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Yield History Upload
- CSV upload (Supabase Storage).
- Visualize yield vs weather patterns.
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Reports & Alerts
- Export irrigation/crop cycle plan as PDF.
- Email notifications (Resend/Gmail SMTP).
- Offline-first PWA (farmers with poor connectivity).
- Geo-fencing alerts (flood, heatwave risk).
- Community benchmarking (compare yields anonymously).
- Open crop advisory dataset integration (FAO / ICAR).
- Multilingual UI (Next.js i18n).
- Simple ML model (train with uploaded yield history).
- Satellite NDVI check (Sentinel free tier).
- Voice reports (TTS) via browser or free Google TTS.
- Free APIs → ensures no upfront farmer cost.
- Leaflet + OSM → no map subscription fees.
- Offline PWA + Email export → works even with poor connectivity.
- Low device requirements → runs on cheap Android phones.
You can build a self-contained monolithic Next.js app that uses Leaflet maps + free weather/soil APIs to give farmers actionable crop & irrigation insights.
- No need for Bun split — keep it in Next.js APIs.
- Free APIs (Open-Meteo, SoilGrids, OSM) ensure cost-effectiveness.
- MVP should start with rule-based irrigation + crop cycle models, then later extend with satellite, ML, and SMS/voice features.