Mobile Services for Smart Agriculture and Forestry, Biodiversity Monitoring, and Water Management: Challenges for 5G/6G Networks

Abstract

5G and beyond mobile networks are envisioned as the fundamental components that drive business and societal transformation. The deterioration of the natural environment and climate change have raised questions regarding the role of the mobile network ecosystem and its potential to accelerate innovations in industrial and societal sustainability. This paper describes the challenges facing 5G/6G mobile networks from sectors essential for the sustainable use of natural resources, which include smart agriculture and forestry, biodiversity monitoring, and water management. Based on recent advancements in the above-mentioned domains, the identification of use cases and their requirements are performed together with the evaluation of current and expected future support provided by 5G and 6G networks. Finally, a list of open issues and challenges to be tackled to enable the implementation of carrier-grade services for these sectors using 5G and 6G platforms is presented.