Smart Greenhouses For Africa (SmartGFA)

In Africa, agribusiness has the potential to reduce poverty, increase food security and drive economic growth more than any other sector. Agriculture accounts for nearly half of the continent’s gross domestic product and employs 60% of the labour force. The SmartGFA project aims to develop a low-cost greenhouse microclimate monitoring and management system that utilises soil sensors, climate and weather information to optimise irrigation and environmental conditions for specific crops. The system analyses real-time information provided by soil sensors, mid-term weather information obtained from on-line service providers, climate information based on historical weather patterns, and combines these with the specific crop needs to determine the optimal watering pattern – maximising crop health and yield, while keeping fertiliser and water consumption to a minimum. The SmartGFA project brings together two UK and three Kenyan partners to combine advanced sensor knowhow, machine-learning analytics and knowledge of local needs to develop a novel system that will allow smallholder farmers to achieve high-yield greenhouse farming at low cost, increasing their food security and allowing them to move from subsistence farming to cash crops