Unlocking Soil Potential in Nairobi: Data-Driven Soil Solutions
In Nairobi, Azadeh (betterSoil) and Jess Price (Innana Global) visited the startup UjuziKilimo funded by GSMA to see their product, SoilPal in action. Already used by 30,000+ Kenyan farmers, the device delivers instant soil insights – boosting yields, cutting costs, and proving soil health tech is a game changer.
Unlocking soil potential through data
In a project of GSMA, this month, Azadeh Farajpour from betterSoil and Jess Price from Inanna Global, travelled to Nairobi to engage with UjuziKilimo, a pioneering Kenyan agri-tech startup. Their visit underscored the power of collaboration in driving agricultural innovation and economic resilience in Africa. GSMA, a global non-profit representing over 750 mobile operators, is deeply supporting and funding Africa’s digital transformation, while Inanna Global focuses on systemic investing to scale regenerative agriculture across the continent. UjuziKilimo, a GSMA Innovation Fund grantee, is at the forefront of this movement, using soil testing to empower smallholder farmers with actionable data. The project brought together business strategy and on-farm innovation, showing how data can become a growth engine for both soil and farmers.
On the first day, the team worked with Ujuzikilimo on refining their financial plan by covering sales, marketing, and customer segmentation. What stood out was how soil health, often seen as a purely environmental concern, is also a powerful business case. The startup’s flagship product, SoilPal, uses high-sensitive sensors to analyse 13 soil parameters in minutes, providing farmers with personalized recommendations via SMS. This technology not only optimizes crop yields but also reduces input costs, making farming more sustainable and profitable. UjuziKilimo is planning further growth, targeting 100,000 farmers soon.
From data to dirt: farmers’ experience
The second day connected strategy to practice. The team visited potato farmers using Ujuzikilimo’s soil-testing device. Potatoes, a staple crop in Kenya, are planted three times a year and rotated with maize. Farmers demonstrated how SoilPal’s soil analysis helps them make informed decisions about fertilization and crop rotation. The device’s speed delivering results in seconds, has made it a game-changer for rural communities. In seconds, the tool diagnoses soil health and sends tailored recommendations to farmers’ phones. By applying the advice, farmers can better manage nutrients, cut unnecessary fertilizer use, and boost yields. The visit reaffirmed that while technology provides the tools, farmer commitment and smart practices are essential for long-term success.
Local innovation to global impact
The Nairobi field visit highlighted a crucial lesson: healthier soils start with good data but thrive through farmer commitment. With partners like betterSoil, GSMA and Innana Global, Ujuzikilimo demonstrates how digital agriculture can bridge the gap between sustainability and profitability. In Kenya and beyond, scaling such solutions could be the key to resilient food systems. As global supply chains tighten sustainability standards, those who invest in soil health will gain both ecological and economic advantage. Ujuzikilimo’s model brings these benefits by not only improving farm productivity within reach of smallholder farmers, where every Kenian Shilling saved or earned matters but also creating jobs and economic opportunities.