Integrating Real-Time Data Streaming in R Shiny: Advancing Digital Agriculture Practices in Chile

In agriculture, precise and timely meteorological data is critical for optimizing crop management, improving yield quality, and mitigating the impacts of adverse weather conditions. However, existing meteorological services often limit data downloads to three continuous months, constraining long-term analysis essential for agricultural purposes. This study introduces an advanced R Shiny application designed to automate the retrieval and analysis of real-time meteorological data from the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil and the Dirección Meteorológica de Chile - Servicios Climáticos. The application provides an intuitive graphical user interface that allows farmers, researchers, and agricultural advisors to access and interact with over 15 climatic parameters, such as temperature, humidity, wind direction, and precipitation. The application supports downloading data for selected periods and visualizing the area of influence for each station to select the most relevant data. By integrating real-time data streaming, this tool enhances decision-making processes, supports efficient resource management, and fosters the adoption of digital agriculture practices. The study demonstrates the application’s efficacy through a case study in Chile, highlighting its potential to improve water management, pest control, and overall crop resilience. Integrating cutting-edge data retrieval technologies in agriculture empowers stakeholders with actionable insights and promotes sustainable agricultural practices in response to climate variability.