Smart Greenhouses; Simplifying complex farming

We are working to address the problem of low productivity, vulnerability to climate change, and limited access to knowledge and resources faced by smallholder farmers in developing countries, particularly in Africa. These farmers often lack the resources, knowledge, and infrastructure necessary to adapt to changing weather patterns and optimize their farming practices, which results in low yields, unpredictable harvest cycles, and reduced income. In Africa, for example, agriculture has the potential to reduce poverty and drive economic growth more than any other sector, but smallholder farmers face challenges with productivity, affecting their livelihoods. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), agriculture is one of the sectors most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Smallholder farmers, particularly in developing countries, are especially vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns. According to AQUASTAT, FAO's database on water resource consumption, only about 2% of Kenya's arable land is irrigated yet irrigated farms are 90% more productive than rain-fed farms. The impact of disrupted weather patterns thus affects the vast majority of farmers in the country. Out of 250 million smallholder farmers in Africa, just 80 million use digital agricultural solutions on their farms, which could be the solution that those without such solutions need to adapt to climate change. Considering population growth, and food security concerns, smallholder farmers will have a significant role to play in food production and consequently, food security. Globally, smallholder farmers account for 2.5 billion people and produce up to 80% of the food in developing countries, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), however, they face these challenges, including hindering their ability to improve productivity and adapt to changing conditions. The factors contributing to the problem of low productivity, vulnerability to climate change, and limited access to knowledge and resources faced by smallholder farmers in developing countries relate directly to our Smart Greenhouses. For example, our smart greenhouses extend the growing season and protect crops from harsh weather conditions. By using IoT sensors, AI, and ML to automate irrigation and optimize growing conditions, we can also increase yields and reduce resource use and input costs for farmers, which improves their income and livelihoods. Our solution addresses the factors contributing to the problem, by providing them with a unique blend of hardware, software, and extension services that enable them to improve their productivity, increase their income, and build their resilience to climate change.

Our solution is an innovative technology that combines IoT sensors, AI, and ML to optimize irrigation, increase yields, reduce input costs, and help smallholder farmers in developing countries adapt to climate change by building their resilience and access to knowledge and resources. The centerpiece of our innovation is the smart greenhouse, which protects crops and extends the growing season for farmers, helping them to increase yields by 30% and reduce the cost of inputs by 40%. The smart greenhouse is equipped with FarmShield, a solar-powered IoT sensor device that uses AI and ML to automate irrigation, saving over 50% water use. The FarmShield IoT sensors also collect data on farm conditions such as temperature, humidity, or soil nutrient content and send it to FarmCloud, our cloud-based farm management platform. FarmCloud translates the data into actionable recommendations to the farmer via SMS or email alerts to optimize their farm conditions. It also provides comprehensive farm management tools that enable farmers to keep track of daily work activities, achieve crop traceability and export compliance, and access data that can be used for credit scoring. Farmers can also connect with skilled agronomists via the platform for training and support on climate-smart agricultural practices. The AI and ML algorithms used in our solution help to process large amounts of data and provide farmers with real-time information, actionable recommendations, and training on climate-smart practices. By analyzing the data collected by FarmShield, the AI and ML algorithms help farmers to optimize their irrigation and growing conditions for maximum productivity and yield, while also building their resilience to climate change. Smart Greenhouses are a user-friendly solution that makes complex farming feel simple by leveraging technologies like IoT sensors, AI, and ML to optimize irrigation and increase yields, while providing farmers with real-time information, actionable recommendations, and training on climate-smart practices, enabling them to make informed decisions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Smart Greenhouses Video

Smart Greenhouses serve smallholder farmers in developing countries who face challenges with low productivity, vulnerability to climate change, and limited access to knowledge and resources. Smallholder farmers are defined as farmers who own or operate small plots of land and who typically rely on family labor and traditional farming practices. They are often the backbone of local food systems and play a critical role in ensuring food security for millions of people around the world. However, smallholder farmers in developing countries face numerous challenges, such as limited access to knowledge and resources, vulnerability to climate change, and low productivity. These challenges impact their livelihoods and contribute to poverty and food insecurity. 

Our solution targets this population by providing them with a unique blend of hardware, software, and extension services that enable them to improve their productivity, increase their income, and build their resilience to climate change. Smart Greenhouses will impact the lives of smallholder farmers in several ways:

• Increased Productivity: Smart Greenhouses help smallholder farmers to increase their productivity by optimizing growing conditions, extending the growing season, and protecting crops from harsh weather conditions. This will lead to increased yields and reduced input costs, which will improve farmers' income and livelihoods.
• Adaptation to Climate Change: Smallholder farmers are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns. Smart Greenhouses help farmers to adapt to climate change by providing them with real-time information on their farm conditions, actionable recommendations, and training on climate-smart practices, enabling them to make informed decisions and adapt to changing weather patterns.
• Improved Access to Knowledge and Resources: FarmCloud provides smallholder farmers with comprehensive farm management tools, and enables crop traceability, and export compliance. Farmers can also connect with skilled agronomists via the platform for training and support on climate-smart agricultural practices. This will help to address the challenge of limited access to knowledge and resources faced by smallholder farmers in developing countries.
• Reduced Water Use: FarmShield, the solar-powered IoT sensor device used in our solution, automates irrigation and optimizes water use, reducing water use by over 50%. This will help to address the challenge of water scarcity faced by smallholder farmers in many parts of the world.

Smart Greenhouses will impact the lives of smallholder farmers by improving their productivity, enabling them to adapt to climate change, providing them with access to knowledge and resources, and reducing their water use. These impacts will contribute to poverty reduction, food security, and sustainable development in developing countries.

Our team is uniquely qualified to design and deliver Smart Greenhouses as a solution to low productivity experienced by smallholder farmers in developing countries. Our team is led by Taita Ngetich, who was born and raised on a farm west of Nairobi and has experienced firsthand the challenges that farmers face in growing crops, as his mother was a farmer. Taita's personal connection to the farming community and his experience as a farmer gives him and our team proximity to the communities we are serving. We understand the unique challenges that smallholder farmers in developing countries face, such as limited access to knowledge and resources, vulnerability to climate change, and low productivity. Our solution is designed with these challenges in mind and provides smallholder farmers with the affordable and accessible technology solutions they need to improve their productivity, adapt to climate change, and build their resilience. Our team is also passionate about empowering smallholder farmers and helping them to achieve their full potential. By providing smallholder farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to improve their productivity and build their resilience to climate change, we are empowering them to take control of their livelihoods and achieve their full potential. We recognize the importance of social networks and community-based learning in rural areas, and our solution includes features that allow farmers to connect with skilled agronomists and other farmers for support and training. By providing them with real-time data and actionable recommendations, we are giving them the information they need to make informed decisions about their farming practices. We are also helping to create new possibilities for them by increasing their productivity, improving their access to markets, and enabling them to adapt to the impacts of climate change. In addition to Taita's experience as a farmer, our team also includes experts in engineering, software development, and agriculture. We have the technical expertise needed to design and deliver an innovative and effective solution that meets the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries.

8619

We are applying to Solve because we believe that our solution, Smart Greenhouses, has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of smallholder farmers in developing countries. We see this as a valuable opportunity to connect with a community of like-minded individuals and organizations who are committed to addressing the world's most pressing challenges. As a startup, we face a number of barriers that we hope our participation can help us overcome. Specifically, we hope that we can get help to access additional funding and resources that will enable us to scale our solution and reach more smallholder farmers. We also hope to receive personalized support and mentorship that will help us to refine our business model, validate our impact, and build the partnerships we need to succeed. In addition, we believe that being a part of this cross-sector social impact community will be invaluable in helping us to navigate the complex cultural and market barriers that we face. By connecting with experts in agriculture, technology, and social entrepreneurship, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges facing smallholder farmers in developing countries and to develop more effective solutions that can address these challenges. We believe that being selected will provide us with the funding, resources, and support we need to scale our solution and make a meaningful impact on the lives of smallholder farmers in developing countries. We are excited about the opportunity to join the network and to work alongside other innovative and passionate individuals and organizations who are committed to solving the world's most pressing challenges.

Smart Greenhouses approaches climate change and its impact on smallholder farmers in a significantly improved way by incorporating precision agriculture and leveraging the power of technology and automation. Traditionally, smallholder farmers have relied on traditional farming methods that are often inefficient and labor-intensive. These methods often result in low yields, inconsistent crop quality, and significant waste. In addition, smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns, which can have a devastating impact on their farming activities and consequently, livelihoods. We are using precision agriculture and technology to enable smallholder farmers to farm more efficiently and sustainably. By using sensors and data analytics to monitor soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and other farm conditions, our solution enables farmers to optimize crop growth conditions in real time. This means that farmers can reduce water usage, improve crop quality, and increase yields, all while using fewer resources. Moreover, by automating farming processes like irrigation, our solution reduces labor costs and improves water-use efficiency. This means that smallholder farmers can focus on higher-value activities, such as marketing and sales, and dedicate their time to building more profitable and sustainable businesses. Smart Greenhouses have the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts from others in this space by serving as a model for sustainable and efficient agriculture practices. In addition, our solution is designed to be scalable and adaptable, meaning that it can be customized to meet the unique needs and challenges of different regions and communities. This flexibility makes it possible for our solution to be implemented in a variety of contexts, from rural farming communities to urban agriculture projects. By sharing our learnings and best practices with other organizations and stakeholders in the agriculture industry, we hope to inspire more widespread adoption of sustainable and efficient agriculture practices. This, in turn, could lead to broader positive impacts, such as increased food security and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers. Smart Greenhouses could lead to increased competition in the agriculture industry by offering smallholder farmers a more cost-effective and profitable way to farm. By reducing labor costs, improving crop yields, and promoting sustainability they help smallholder farmers to build more profitable and sustainable businesses. They could also help to drive innovation in the agriculture industry by showcasing the potential of precision agriculture and technology to improve farming practices. As more farmers adopt these practices, there may be increased demand for new and innovative technologies that can help to optimize crop growth conditions and reduce resource usage. Thirdly, our solution could help to promote more sustainable and equitable food systems by enabling smallholder farmers to increase their productivity, reduce waste, and improve their livelihoods. By empowering smallholder farmers to participate in the global food market, our solution could help to create a more level playing field for smallholder farmers and promote greater economic and social equity.

Our impact goals for the next year are as follows:

• To reach 15,000 smallholder farmers with climate-smart farming solutions: We will work with local agriculture cooperatives and farmer groups to identify smallholder farmers who would benefit from our solution. We will also build and leverage our network of partners, including financial institutions, government agencies, and NGOs, to identify farmers who could benefit from our solution.

• Establish partnerships with at least 3 financial institutions: We will reach out to financial institutions that have an interest in agriculture and have a presence in the areas where we operate. We will work with them to design financing packages and products using ag data from FarmShield and FarmCloud, to ensure that farming solutions are accessible and affordable to smallholder farmers.

Our impact goals for the next five years are as follows:

• Expand our impact to reach 80,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya and the region: We will scale our operations by establishing partnerships with more agriculture cooperatives and farmer groups, as well as with government agencies and NGOs. We will leverage our network of partners to reach a larger number of smallholder farmers and expand our reach beyond Kenya to other countries in Africa.

• Establish partnerships with government agencies and NGOs: We will reach out to government agencies and NGOs that have an interest in promoting sustainable agriculture and have a presence in the areas where we operate. We will work with them to design programs that support smallholder farmers and enable them to adopt our solution.

To achieve these goals, we will focus on scaling our Smart Greenhouses through strategic partnerships with financial institutions, government agencies, and NGOs. We will leverage our FarmCloud platform to provide farmers with access to training and support services and work closely with our partners to ensure that our solution is accessible and affordable for smallholder farmers. Additionally, we will continue to invest in research and development to improve the performance and efficiency of our solution.

In line with our impact goals, we are using several indicators to measure our progress. To track our progress towards Target 1.5, we are monitoring the number of smallholder farmers we have been able to reach and support with our solution. We track the number of farmers that have adopted our climate-smart farming practices and the proportion of women we are working with to ensure that we are meeting Target 2.3. To measure our progress towards Target 2.4, we monitor the adoption of sustainable food production systems and the implementation of resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production and strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and progressively improve land and soil quality. To measure our progress towards Target 5.b, we track the proportion of women farmers we are working with and the extent to which we are promoting their empowerment through our solution, including their access to information and communications technology. To monitor our progress towards Target 8.6, we track the proportion of youth who have been able to access training, employment, or education opportunities through our solution. To monitor our progress towards Target 8.10, we track the number of farmers who have gained access to financial services, including banking and insurance, as a result of our solution. Finally, to monitor our progress towards Target 13.1 and 13.3, we track the number of vulnerable smallholder farmers who have increased their resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters, as well as the extent to which we have been able to improve education and awareness-raising on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning. We are measuring our progress by tracking the number of farmers adopting our climate-smart farming practices, the proportion of women we are working with, their income levels, savings, and productivity before and after the adoption of our approaches. This provides us with both qualitative and quantitative data on the impact of our solution on smallholder farmers in developing countries.

Our theory of change is based on the following logic:

1. Smart Greenhouses and FarmShield provide smallholder farmers with an affordable and reliable way to increase their crop yields while minimizing input costs.

2. By adopting our solution, farmers can use precision agriculture techniques that enable them to grow crops more efficiently and sustainably.

3. Precision agriculture techniques, such as automated irrigation and data-driven recommendations for optimal farm conditions, reduce water use and chemical inputs while increasing crop yields.

4. By using precision agriculture techniques, farmers can reduce their environmental impact and increase their profitability.

5. As a result, farmers will have more resources to invest in their farms, their families, and their communities, improving their overall quality of life.

6. By empowering smallholder farmers to be more productive and sustainable, our solution contributes to global efforts to reduce poverty and food insecurity, improve public health, and protect the environment.

Inputs:

Smart Greenhouses equipped with FarmShield IoT sensors

FarmCloud platform for data management and analysis

Skilled agronomists to provide training and support

Activities:

Distribute Smart Greenhouses with FarmShield IoT sensors to smallholder farmers

Train farmers on the use of precision agriculture techniques through the FarmCloud platform and agronomist support

Collect data from FarmShield IoT sensors and provide data-driven recommendations to farmers through FarmCloud platform

Provide access to credit facilities through FarmCloud platform based on data collected from FarmShield IoT sensors

Outputs:

Adoption of precision agriculture techniques by smallholder farmers

Increased crop yields and profitability

Reduced environmental impacts through sustainable farming practices

Outcomes:

Increased income and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers

Improved food security and nutrition for communities

Reduced pressure on natural resources and ecosystems

Impacts:

Reduced poverty and hunger in target communities

Our theory of change is supported by evidence from multiple sources. Research has shown that precision agriculture techniques, such as automated irrigation and data-driven recommendations, can significantly increase crop yields and profitability while reducing water use and chemical inputs (source: World Bank). We have also conducted interviews with smallholder farmers in our target communities, which have revealed that they lack access to affordable and reliable technologies and expertise to increase their crop yields and minimize input costs. Our solution addresses these specific challenges by providing affordable and reliable technology and access to skilled agronomists through the FarmCloud platform. Finally, our solution aligns with global efforts to reduce poverty and food insecurity, improve public health, and protect the environment, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Our solution is powered by a combination of hardware, and software, and also employs artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms. Our FarmShield IoT devices have solar-powered sensors that collect data on farm conditions such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and light intensity. The soil moisture sensor is the main driver of automated irrigation on the farm. This farm data is transmitted wirelessly to the cloud-based FarmCloud platform for analysis and processing. FarmCloud processes the data collected by FarmShield sensors and provides actionable recommendations to farmers via SMS or email alerts. It also enables farmers to keep track of daily work activities, enabling crop traceability, and export compliance, and provides data that can be used for credit scoring. Additionally, farmers can connect with skilled agronomists via the platform for training and support on climate-smart agricultural practices. FarmCloud is the core software technology that powers our solution. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze the data collected by the FarmShield sensors and provide actionable insights to farmers. The platform is also equipped with features such as crop traceability, export compliance, and advisory services, which help farmers to optimize their farming practices and increase yields. The use of these technologies allows us to provide farmers with a unique blend of hardware, software, and extension services through our FarmCloud platform, empowering them to increase productivity, increase food production and income, and improve their livelihoods even in the face of climate change. Our technology has been tested and validated through pilot projects in several regions of Kenya, including West Pokot, Kamulu, and Kericho, among others. Our pilot projects have shown that our solution can increase crop yields by up to 30% and reduce water use by over 50%, making it an effective tool for farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change while improving their economic well-being.

At Synnefa, we are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our work. Our team recognizes that diverse perspectives are critical to solving complex challenges, and we actively seek out and value different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Currently, our team is diverse in terms of gender and educational background. We understand that there is always room for improvement and are committed to increasing diversity within our team. We understand that achieving true diversity, equity, and inclusion requires ongoing effort and a willingness to listen and learn. To that end, we have established clear goals for increasing diversity in our organization, including creating a work environment that is welcoming and inclusive for all. In addition, we are committed to ensuring that our solution is accessible and beneficial to all farmers, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. We incorporate human-centered design principles into our solution development process, which involves engaging with diverse stakeholders and taking into account their needs, perspectives, and feedback. We prioritize working with local partners and engaging with community members to ensure that our solution is tailored to their specific needs and challenges. We also strive to make our technology and services accessible to those who may face barriers, such as language or financial barriers. Ultimately, we believe that incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work is not only the right thing to do but also essential to achieving our mission of empowering smallholder farmers and creating a more sustainable and resilient food system for all.

At Synnefa, we provide the following products and services; Greenhouses - Our greenhouses protect crops from extreme weather conditions, pests, and diseases, and provide a controlled environment for optimal crop growth. FarmShield - Our IoT sensor device, which is solar-powered and uses AI and ML, automates irrigation, saving over 50% water use. The FarmShield IoT sensors also collect data on farm conditions and send it to FarmCloud, which then translates the data into actionable recommendations to the farmer via SMS or email alerts to optimize their farm conditions. FarmCloud - Our cloud-based farm management platform, which provides farmers with access to real-time data and analytics, helps them to keep track of daily work activities, enabling crop traceability and export compliance. It also provides data that can be used for credit scoring. Farmers also connect with skilled agronomists via the platform for training and support on climate-smart agricultural practices. Our business model is based on a hybrid approach that generates revenue from both the sale of hardware and software subscriptions. We use three main business models: B2C, B2B2C, and B2B. In the B2C model, we directly sell our products and services to farmers, who will pay for the use of our solutions. In the B2B2C model, we provide export co-operatives and organizations with software and free IoT sensors to address export compliance. This generates revenue from export organizations that pay for the export data services we provide. The B2B model involves partnerships where purchases for agricultural inputs can be made through FarmCloud, which will also provide farming production data for financing partners to use for credit scoring. This model generates revenue from fees charged to input suppliers who want to use the FarmCloud platform for sales and distribution. We also prioritize partnerships with organizations that share our mission and values to expand our impact and reach more farmers. These partnerships include collaborations with government agencies, NGOs, and private sector entities to provide access to financing, training, and other resources that can support the growth of our solution and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Our solution provides smallholder farmers with a complete end-to-end solution that helps them solve their need to increase their yields, reduce their input costs, and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Our plan for becoming financially sustainable takes an integrated approach, including selling our products and services and seeking grants and donations from donor organizations, impact investors, and government agencies. We plan to generate revenue through our smart greenhouses, the sale of FarmShield IoT sensors, and related products to farmers who want to implement precision farming techniques in their operations. In addition to these revenue streams, we will seek grants and donations from philanthropic organizations and impact investors who share our vision for empowering smallholder farmers and promoting climate-smart agriculture. We will also explore opportunities for government contracts or partnerships that could provide sustainable revenue streams. To ensure long-term financial sustainability, we plan to continually evaluate and adjust our business model as needed to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our customers and beneficiaries while maintaining financial stability. We also plan to develop partnerships and collaborations with other organizations in the social enterprise space to maximize our impact and financial sustainability.

Our plan to achieve financial sustainability has been successful so far, as we have received grants from organizations such as USADF, WE4F, and Innovate UK, among others, worth just over $500k. These grants have enabled us to implement projects such as the Smart Greenhouses for Africa project, which has helped us build our reputation and gain traction in the market. In addition to grants, we have received support from VCs such as Google Black Founders Fund Africa, which has provided us with access to valuable networks, mentorship, and resources that have helped us to grow our business. Since inception, our revenues have reached $1,966,452.24, which has helped us to continue investing in our solutions, improving our technology, and expanding our reach to more smallholder farmers in Kenya and the neighbouring region. These examples demonstrate the success of our plan to achieve financial sustainability, which is focused on a combination of grant funding, VC support, and generating revenue through the sale of our products and services to smallholder farmers in developing countries.