_applied sciences_  
_Article_  
Prediction of Sensor Data in a Greenhouse for Cultivation of Paprika Plants Using a Stacking Ensemble for Smart Farms  
**[PERSON] 1**, [PERSON] 2 and [PERSON] 1,*(c)  
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is projected to exceed 8.5 billion by 2030, over 9.7 billion by 2050, and reach approximately 10.4 billion by 2080. With the ongoing population growth, the importance of food security is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor for national security and social stability [1,2]. In recent years, South Korea has been experiencing deteriorating growth momentum attributed to structural issues in agriculture. Challenges such as aging farmers, a decline in the agricultural workforce, decreasing production area, and a rise in imported agricultural products have led to stagnation in agricultural growth, income, and exports. These challenges are accompanied by factors such as declining food self-sufficiency, insecure food supplies, and dependence on food imports, all of which are likely to worsen due to insecure food supplies for the world's growing population. Smart farms are gaining recognition as a solution to address these problems and revitalize the agricultural industry [3, 4, 5]. A smart farm is a system that applies 4 th industrial technologies such as sensors, information and communication technology (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT), and drones in the agricultural field. Its primary purpose is to collect and analyze essential data pertaining to crop growth and environmental conditions. By monitoring and controlling factors such as soil quality, climate conditions, and disease occurrences, smart farms aim to optimize agricultural processes through automation and mechanization [6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. According to the MAFRA (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Korea), the country's smart agriculture market is projected to grow from USD 240 million in 2020 to USD 490 million over a span of 25 years, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.5% [11]. Furthermore, Figure 1 illustrates the Smart Farm Adoption Status in South Korea, revealing a notable trend of continuous expansion in the smart farming sector. The area dedicated to smart farms has experienced significant growth over the years, increasing from 405 hectares in 2014 to an impressive 5383 hectares by the year 2020. Furthermore, the MAFRA classifies smart farms into three generations based on technological advancements. The first generation smart farm involves the use of information and communication technology to monitor and control the cultivation environment, such as the automatic opening and closing of vinyl houses and real-time control, enhancing convenience. The second generation of smart farms utilizes big data and artificial intelligence to enhance productivity by implementing precise cultivation management, automated control, and cloud services. This model analyzes the conditions of crop cultivation and pest infestation to proactively take preventive measures and optimize management, leading to improved crop quality and productivity.