Fertd

Fertd is a software daemon designed to support fertility management in agriculture. It collects data from soil sensors, weather feeds, satellite datasets, and farm records to generate fertilizer recommendations and, where configured, control dosing through fertigation hardware. The goal is to improve nutrient use efficiency while reducing waste and environmental impact.

Fertd uses a modular plugin architecture, allowing researchers and farmers to add data sources or decision engines. It supports both rule-based guidance and model-based simulations, and can operate under offline conditions with local storage. The system is designed to be cross-platform and adaptable to different farm sizes and management styles.

In operation, Fertd ingests data streams, runs the decision engine at scheduled times, and issues commands to irrigation or fertilizer controllers via standard interfaces such as MQTT or REST. It stores logs and audit data in a lightweight database and offers APIs for integration with farm management software. The emphasis is on traceability, reproducibility, and interoperability with existing agricultural technologies.

Origins and use: Fertd emerged from open-source agricultural technology initiatives in the early 2010s and has since seen adoption in experimental farms, academic research programs, and some commercial operations. Its effectiveness depends on data quality, sensor calibration, and alignment with agronomic guidelines. It is intended to complement, not replace, professional agronomic advice.

See also: precision agriculture, fertigation, farm management software, agriculture Internet of Things.