Smart technologies for enhancing greenhouse production management under climate and economic challenges

The increase in climate fluctuations and their effects has led farmers to favor controlled environments, including greenhouses. However, neglecting good management practices can not only result in the waste of production resources but also increase production costs and their negative impacts. Using smart technologies can accelerate good greenhouse management practices (GGMP). The main objective of the present study was to examine how the use of smart technologies affects GGMP, with emphasis on climatic and economic factors. A composite index (GGMP Index) was developed to evaluate GGMP, and path analysis was used for data analysis. The sample consisted of 141 agricultural greenhouse units. Based on the findings of this study, the GGMP index dropped from 7.2 to 4.5 (out of 10) from the pre-production to the post-production stages. The study revealed that currently, only about 30% of greenhouses have a satisfactory level of good management. This is concerning, as using smart technologies can optimize agricultural operations for food production in greenhouses and highlights the impact of variables such as climatic and economic conditions, regulations and standards, and the technical characteristics of greenhouses, especially in regions with harsh or unpredictable climatic conditions such as extreme temperatures, droughts, or excessive rainfall.