The rollout will connect farmers to weather data, agricultural advisers, input suppliers, financial institutions and commercial produce buyers. Pessl Instruments Founder and CEO Gottfried Pessl showcases the company’s smart weather monitoring technologies to Austrian Ambassador to Kenya Simone Knapp, during the launch of UpYield4Africa in Nairobi/ HANDOUT Kenya is set to receive 15,000 smart weather stations in an ambitious agricultural technology programme by Austrian firm Pessl Instruments, which plans to install up to 100,000 devices across Africa.
The weather stations will collect field-level data on rainfall, temperature, humidity, soil moisture and leaf wetness, transmitting the information to Pessl's FieldClimate digital platform. Through online and mobile applications, farmers will be able to access localised weather forecasts, crop disease models and other agricultural insights to guide decisions throughout the production cycle.
Pessl Instruments founder and chief executive Gottfried Pessl said the technology would help farmers reduce dependence on traditional weather patterns and make decisions based on accurate, location-specific information. "Smallholder farmers need reliable, localised information to make better decisions throughout the farming cycle.
By combining field-level measurements with weather forecasts and disease models, we can help farmers anticipate risks, improve resource utilisation and increase productivity," he said. The data will help farmers determine when to plant, irrigate and apply fertiliser, while improving pest and disease management and preparation for extreme weather conditions.
Pessl Instruments will partner with AgriMet Data Kenya to implement the programme locally. The Kenyan firm will oversee distribution, installation and maintenance of the stations, as well as farmer training and technical support.