Energy-Aware Clustering for Efficient CKKS Encryption in Smart Agriculture

Securing data communication in smart agriculture is crucial to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information transmitted from distributed sensor networks to cloud infrastructure. Cheon-Kim-Kim-Song (CKKS) homomorphic encryption offers robust security by enabling computations on encrypted data. However, its high computational and energy demands pose challenges for battery-powered sensors. To address this, we propose the EnergyGreedy Clustering Algorithm (EGCA), which reduces energy consumption by optimizing sensor clustering. Each cluster is managed by a cluster head that aggregates data and minimizes direct transmissions, making CKKS encryption more feasible in resource-constrained environments. Our simulations show that EGCA significantly improves packet delivery ratio and delay to provide a robust solution for secure data communication in smart agriculture.