Optimization of Design and Operation of Hydroponic Sprouted Fodder Systems : A New Approach to Feeding Livestock

This thesis discusses the challenges faced by countries in maintaining food security due to factors such as population growth, climate change, and resource depletion. To address these challenges, a partial Decision Support System (DSS) is proposed to assist farmers in optimizing their resources and achieving profitability through advanced farming methods known as Hydroponic farming. The study begins with a bibliometric analysis of 1305 articles in smart agriculture, followed by a review of 40 articles focused on harvest planning to identify research gaps and scholarly contributions. Farmers are reluctant to adopt newer and smart farming methods such as Hydroponic farming to their obstacles in terms of high investment and operational cost, and also their scalability. In order to assist farmers, a one stage part of Decision Support System (DSS) is then proposed for optimizing dairy cattle feed management using a mathematical model applied to Hydroponic units. Finally, the study proposes future research directions to benefit the research community based on the insights gained from the study.