SmartHydro, AI and IoT Enabled Hydroponic Grow Tents

Our solar powered hydroponic grow tents bring together artificial intelligence and Internet of Things sensing to support small scale, water efficient food production in areas where electricity and internet access are often unreliable. The real innovation lies in how these systems were created. Each tent was developed as a technology probe, a working prototype placed in real rural settings so that farmers could test, question, and reshape the design with us.

Through workshops and practical experimentation, farmers and community partners co designed the system. They decided which data were useful, how automation should behave, and how control should remain in their hands. Their ideas led to a design that can run both online and offline, store data locally, and allow users to override automated decisions whenever they choose.

The result is a growing system built for African conditions, powered by the sun, easy to repair, and simple to maintain. It strengthens farmer agency and highlights how innovation can respect local knowledge. These tents are more than technological tools, they are community built research spaces that show how digital agriculture can succeed when technology and local expertise evolve together.