What is the name of your organization?
Smartel Agri-Tech
What is the name of your solution?
Smart Hydroponics Systems
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Solar Pv Hydroponic Systems, fitted with IoT sensors, optimize irrigation, increase yields and reduce input costs, building farmers’ resilience.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Jos, Plateau, Nigeria
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
NGA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
In Nigeria, smallholder farmers, who comprise over 80% of the agricultural workforce, grapple with low productivity, climate-induced shocks, and limited access to modern farming technologies. More than 90% of farming here depends on rain-fed agriculture, leaving these farmers highly vulnerable to erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and devastating floods. With only 1% of cultivated land under irrigation, the productivity gap remains wide, threatening both livelihoods and national food security.
Globally, smallholder farmers produce up to 80% of food in developing nations, yet in Africa, just 80 million out of 250 million smallholders use digital agricultural solutions. This digital divide exacerbates the impacts of climate change, especially as Nigeria’s population is projected to exceed 400 million by 2050. Without climate-smart innovations, these farmers will continue to face unpredictable harvests and financial instability. Smartel tackles these challenges through IoT-powered hydroponic systems that integrate AI-driven irrigation and sensor-based monitoring. Our technology extends growing seasons, optimizes resource use, and enhances yields, thereby empowering farmers to improve their income, build resilience, and secure a sustainable food future for Nigeria and beyond.
What is your solution?
Our solution is a solar-powered smart hydroponic system that transforms smallholder farming using a blend of IoT sensors, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. At its core, the system continuously monitors key farm conditions such as temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels, transmitting real-time data to a cloud-based platform. Advanced algorithms then analyze this data to automate irrigation, detect early signs of crop stress, and deliver actionable recommendations to farmers via SMS or email.
By optimizing irrigation, detecting early signs of crop disease and extending the growing season, our technology increases yields by 30% while reducing input costs by 40% and cutting water usage by over 90%. In addition, our platform offers vital farm management tools that support crop traceability, ensure export compliance, and facilitate credit scoring, empowering farmers to secure loans and access essential financial services.
Smartel’s integrated approach not only enhances crop productivity but also builds resilience against climate change. By making climate-smart farming accessible and scalable, we empower smallholder farmers to improve their income, secure their livelihoods, and contribute to a more food-secure future.
Demo Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CjZQ0Al_-5trFG1aqU6oKQVAaaxlXkiS/view?usp=sharing
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves urban and peri-urban smallholder farmers in Nigeria - particularly youth and women, who face significant challenges due to limited land, erratic weather, and restricted access to climate-smart farming methods. In bustling cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, where arable land is scarce and food prices remain high due to transportation costs and limited local production, these farmers struggle to secure fresh, affordable produce. In Nigeria, smallholder farmers constitute over 80% of the agricultural workforce, impacting the livelihoods of tens of millions of people.
By deploying compact, solar-powered smart hydroponic systems, Smartel empowers these farmers to grow high-quality crops year-round in minimal space, using over 90% less water and no soil. Our integrated IoT sensors and AI-driven platform optimize nutrient delivery and provide early warnings for crop stress, boosting yields by 30% while reducing input costs by 40%. This climate-smart approach not only enhances household food security and nutrition but also builds resilience against climate shocks.
Additionally, our cloud-based platform connects farmers with expert agronomists, market opportunities, and training resources, enabling them to transition into sustainable agri-businesses. By bridging the gap between growing food demand and local supply, Smartel fosters inclusive economic empowerment and strengthens Nigeria’s overall food system.
