Smart farming areas
Four ways to grow. Four technology stacks.
A sealed greenhouse, an open maize field, a shade-net house and a hydroponic system fail in different ways — so each gets the sensing and control that fits it.
Greenhouses
Fully enclosed polythene or glass houses where climate, water and nutrients can all be controlled.
- Climate: Staged extractor fans, Circulation fans, Motorised vents and shade net, Temperature & humidity at two heights, CO₂ sensor
- Water & nutrients: Zone drip irrigation, Fertigation, Tank level monitor
- Crop intelligence: Fixed crop cameras, Ground inspection drone, Greenhouse controller
Open fields
Rain-fed and irrigated field crops, orchards and pasture — the largest area and the least measured.
- Know the ground: NPK, pH and EC mapping, Solar soil probes
- Know the weather: On-farm weather mast, Area map
- Act on it: Irrigation automation, Solar pumping, Monitoring, sprayer and ground drones
Semi-open (shade & net houses)
Shade nets, insect-proof net houses and walk-in tunnels — partial protection at a fraction of the cost of a greenhouse.
- Microclimate: Temperature & humidity sensors, Misting / fogging control, Motorised shade screens, Circulation fans
- Water & nutrients: Drip irrigation zones, Fertigation with EC/pH
- Protection: Crop cameras and ground drone scouting, Door and perimeter sensors
Hydroponics
Soil-less growing in nutrient solution or inert media — fastest growth, and no margin for error.
- Solution chemistry: Inline EC sensor, Inline pH sensor, A/B nutrient dosing
- Root environment: Dissolved oxygen, Solution temperature, Reservoir level
- Reliability: Pump and flow monitoring, Power backup alerting, Air temperature & humidity
Side by side
How the four environments compare
| Greenhouses | Open fields | Semi-open (shade & net houses) | Hydroponics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protection | Full — rain, wind, insects | None | Partial — sun, wind, insects | Full, soil-less |
| Climate control | High | None — measure and respond | Moderate | Very high |
| Main risks | Heat, humidity, CO₂, uneven water | Uneven soil, drought timing, local weather | Still-air heat, humidity, pests | pH / EC drift, oxygen, pump failure |
| Key technology | Climate controller, zone drip, CO₂, cameras | Soil maps, probes, weather mast, drones | Microclimate sensors, misting, drip | Inline EC / pH dosing, DO, flow alarms |
| Typical crops | Tomato, capsicum, cucumber, flowers | Maize, potato, beans, avocado | Capsicum, leafy greens, seedlings | Lettuce, herbs, tomato, fodder |
Start with a walk around your farm.
The first conversation is a site visit: we walk the farm with you and understand what you grow or keep and what is going wrong. No cost, no commitment. Buy outright, lease, or pay as you go by M-Pesa.