From Monitor to Autonomous Manager: A Secure Digital Twin Framework for Minimal-Intervention Farming

This chapter, per the authors, proposes a Secure Cognitive Cyber-Physical System (CCPS) that transitions agricultural operations from reactive, human-supervised monitoring toward fully autonomous, self-regulating farm ecosystems. Integrating high-fidelity Digital Twins, federated Edge-AI, and coordinated robotic actuation, the framework enables predictive, self-executing farm management with minimal human intervention. A physics-informed simulation layer evaluates candidate strategies before physical execution. A Zero-Trust security architecture, aligned with IEC 62443 operational technology standards, defends against sensor spoofing, data poisoning, and unauthorized command injection. Explainable AI mechanisms provide human- readable decision rationale building the agronomist trust essential for adoption. The framework uniquely integrates OT-grade cybersecurity with agricultural autonomy, a gap identified across leading review studies. A strategic roadmap outlines governance, investment, and policy alignment required to scale secure autonomous farming globally.