Motithang Higher Secondary School is among the Top 10 finalists in the Global High Schools category of the 2027 Zayed Sustainability Prize for its smart agriculture project aimed at reducing water use and improving farming.
The school’s project, Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future, uses sensors and automated irrigation to monitor and manage the needs of plants.
The system uses sensors to measure soil moisture, temperature, humidity and plant growth. An automated drip-irrigation system then supplies water based on the needs of the plants.
Eight students from classes nine and eleven worked on the project.
“Smart agriculture basically works on the idea of drip irrigation. Using the pipes, it directly transfers the water to the base of the plant so that there will be no wastage of water,” said Yeewang Selden, a student of Motithang Higher Secondary School.
The students also use humidity, temperature, soil moisture and ultrasonic sensors to monitor conditions inside the greenhouse and track plant growth.
The system can be monitored remotely through the Blynk mobile application. Users can turn the solenoid valve on or off through the app and monitor sensor readings remotely.
According to student Nehal Khatiwara, the system allows users to identify when conditions cross set threshold levels and take action accordingly.
The students say the technology has also reduced the need for manual watering.
Previously, teaching and support staff had to water the plants every day, which was time-consuming and inefficient. With the smart agriculture system, the students were able to use the Internet of Things to automate the watering process.
The project has resulted in a 35 per cent reduction in water use, while the students also observed improved plant growth.
The school plans to expand the use of the technology beyond the greenhouse. It plans to apply the system in reforestation efforts on about two acres of fire-affected land near Sangaygang.
The project will also serve as a practical learning space for students, while the school plans to establish a Smart Agriculture Club to continue the initiative.
Motithang Higher Secondary School is one of three finalists from South Asia. The other finalists are from Sri Lanka and Nepal.
The 2027 Zayed Sustainability Prize received more than 10,000 entries from 177 countries. The international award, based in Abu Dhabi, recognises student-led projects addressing challenges related to water, food, energy and environmental sustainability.
“We are deeply humbled and honoured to be among the finalists for the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Global High Schools. This is indeed a recognition of the creativity of our students and our school’s commitment to transform classroom learning into meaningful solutions,” said Jigme Choden, Principal of Motithang Higher Secondary School.
She said the recognition would encourage the school to work harder to help students turn classroom knowledge into practical skills and innovative ideas.
As a finalist, the school will receive USD 25,000 to support and expand the project.
The winner will be announced in Abu Dhabi on 12 January next year. The winning school will receive USD 150,000.
Sherub Dadron Palzom
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
