Precision agriculture for
sustainable impact
ShambaIQ contributes to 5 UN Sustainable Development Goals by making high-resolution satellite soil data free and accessible to every Kenyan farmer.
The counts above (counties, crops, wards) reflect ShambaIQ's coverage. The savings, yield, and emissions figures below are estimates derived from agronomic modelling of our soil dataset and published research — not yet farmer-level measured outcomes, which we are working to track.
No poverty
Reducing wasted input spend
Kenyan smallholder farmers spend an average of KES 8,000–15,000 per acre on fertilizer each season. Without soil data, many buy the wrong type — DAP on acidic soil locks phosphorus, wasting a large share of the investment. ShambaIQ's precision recommendations match fertilizer to actual soil chemistry, which we estimate can save farmers KES 2,000–5,000 per acre per season.
Zero hunger
Higher yields through soil intelligence
When farmers know their soil's exact nutrient gaps, they can target interventions precisely. A farmer in Nakuru with pH 6.28 and adequate phosphorus doesn't need DAP — they need CAN for nitrogen top dressing. This targeted approach is estimated to raise yields by 20–40% compared to blanket fertilizer application, producing more food from the same land.
Gender equality
Removing barriers for women farmers
Women make up an estimated 60% of Kenya's smallholder farmers but face disproportionate barriers to agricultural advice. Extension officer visits are infrequent and often reach male household heads. Agrovet shops in market towns require travel and cash. ShambaIQ delivers the same precision advice through any phone — free, bilingual (English and Kiswahili), and accessible from the shamba itself.
Climate action
Data-driven climate-smart farming
Over-application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer produces nitrous oxide (N₂O), a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than CO₂. By calculating the exact nitrogen gap for each county and crop, ShambaIQ prevents over-application — farmers buy only what the soil needs. Our intercropping recommendations promote live mulch systems that reduce soil temperature, conserve moisture, and build soil organic carbon.
Life on land
Monitoring soil health to prevent degradation
Soil degradation affects an estimated third of Kenya's arable land. Without monitoring, farmers don't know their soil is declining until yields collapse. ShambaIQ tracks five key soil parameters (pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon) for every county using satellite soil data at 30-metre resolution. This creates a national baseline that makes soil degradation visible and actionable.
Our data sources
ShambaIQ is entirely built on open, peer-reviewed geospatial and meteorological datasets — not proprietary data locked behind high paywalls.
30-metre high-resolution soil maps for Africa. Monitors pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic carbon, built with machine-learning models trained on 100,000+ localized soil samples.
250-metre global standardized soil database. Provides secondary verification and fallback parameters when localized maps require broad calibration.
Free agronomic weather data and 7-day rainfall forecasts, used to flag optimal fertilizer-application windows and reduce runoff.
Partner with us
We are actively looking for development partners, county agronomists, and non-profit organizations who want to scale precision soil science and agricultural security for smallholder farmers.