Agriculture done smart,
Enabled by AI.
We are DroughtSmart. We are on a mission to revolutionize farming in Africa through smart systems, one farmer at a time.
The Challenge:
Climate Change
According to the WFP, 70% of households in Africa still rely on subsistence agriculture as their primary source of income. However climate change and resulting effects (such as prolonged drought) are leading millions to food and income insecurity.
In Kenya, about 5.4 million people were projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity in 2023 due to severe droughts, with 1.2 million people likely in the emergency phase (Rescue.org).
At DroughtSmart Ltd, we offer both the DS Smart Irrigation Kit and DS Farmer App as solutions.
Our solutions
DS Drip Irrigation Kit
We design and install DS Drip Irrigation Kits on farms, specifically in drought-prone areas. The Kit comes with pipes, a multifunctional sensor and a small solar panel in addition to a controller that coordinates the functioning of the system. The sensor installed on the ground returns soil temperature, pH and moisture data to the controller, which schedules irrigation of the farm using little available water more efficiently.
That water comes from a borehole and is captured during small rains and showers. DroughtSmart works with micro agricultural cooperatives to lease the Kit cost-effectively (maintenance included).
DS Farmer App
We provide weather patterns (rainfalls, soil temperature, and moisture) for Kenya's drought-prone regions, using a combination of on-ground and satellite imaging, advanced analytics, and AI to determine the best crops to plant each season. We avail these insights to the farmers for free via the DS Farmer App and a dedicated WhatsApp channel.
Over a dozen farmers in Taveta County use the DroughtSmart Farmer App.
Why DroughtSmart
Low cost for remodeling existing infrastructure
DS Kit can come as a natural, plug-and-play upgrade to your irrigation system. Requires minimum intervention.
Remote control because time is precious
Control irrigation from any location, at any time. Save time on daily checking of your farm
Real-time analytics to make the right decisions
Soil moisture, temperature and depths. Water flow, pH. Frost protection alarms Real-time and historical irrigation data
Notifications and alarms, so you don't miss anything
Instant chat & notifications about low soil moisture, frost risk, burst pipes, clogged filters and crop yield insights
The AI
Advantage
With the current advances in AI/ML applications, the DS Farmer App development offers a panoply of avenues and opportunities, including:
Crops' health analysis via a simple photo taken by the farmer + preventive and/or curative product recommendations in-app
Commodities supply forecasting and the optimisation of their market pricing
And more (such as hyper-localized agricultural data labelling and resale to more prominent AI companies)
Awards & Recognition
Get the free app providing Kenya's farmers with rainfall forecasts & crop yield insights every day, all seasons.