Kenyan agri-technology firm UjuziKilimo has launched SoilPal Pro, a smartphone-based soil testing solution that it says will transform how farmers, agribusinesses and governments access and apply soil intelligence.
The company describes SoilPal Pro as the world’s first smartphone-connected spectral soil sensor capable of delivering laboratory-grade soil analysis in real time, directly in the field. The launch marks a significant milestone for UjuziKilimo as it seeks to scale its technology beyond Africa into global agricultural markets.
Speaking at the launch, UjuziKilimo chief executive Brian Bosire said the device was designed to place advanced soil intelligence into the hands of everyday farmers, removing long-standing barriers associated with conventional laboratory testing.
“SoilPal Pro is designed to deliver laboratory-grade soil testing and intelligence to the palm of every farmer,” Mr Bosire said. “It has been robustly tested to deliver instant, data-validated insights into soil health, redefining how soil intelligence is accessed and applied worldwide.”
A global-ready soil testing solution
A key feature of SoilPal Pro is its ability to operate without local calibration, a technical limitation that has traditionally restricted soil testing technologies to specific regions. According to UjuziKilimo, the device delivers consistent accuracy across diverse agro-ecological zones, allowing it to be deployed globally without lengthy recalibration processes.
This capability is central to the company’s international ambitions, with UjuziKilimo targeting expansion into Europe, the United States, Asia and South America. By eliminating the need for region-specific adjustments, the firm says it can scale faster while maintaining reliability across different soil types and farming systems.
“SoilPal Pro isn’t just about knowing your soil, it’s about democratizing access to soil intelligence,” Mr Bosire said. “For farmers, enterprises, and governments alike, this innovation provides the clarity, speed, and scale required to transform agriculture in the face of rising input costs, climate pressures, and food security demands.”
Challenging traditional soil testing models
Soil testing has historically been a slow, centralised and often expensive process, requiring farmers to collect samples, transport them to laboratories and wait days or weeks for results. UjuziKilimo says SoilPal Pro challenges this model by enabling on-site testing with instant results.
The device combines visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy with artificial intelligence-driven machine learning and cloud connectivity. Users insert the sensor into the soil and connect it to a smartphone, receiving actionable insights within seconds.
What previously required laboratory logistics and specialised personnel is now available in real time, allowing farmers to make immediate decisions on fertiliser application, soil amendment and crop management.
Industry observers say such technologies are increasingly important as farmers face rising costs of inputs, tighter margins and greater climate variability, all of which require more precise and timely decision-making.
Data-driven insights for farmers and institutions
Each SoilPal Pro test analyses more than 13 critical soil parameters, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, organic carbon, moisture content and salinity. The results are processed through UjuziKilimo’s proprietary predictive agronomy engine, which translates raw data into practical, localised recommendations delivered directly to the user’s smartphone.
According to the company, this approach shifts soil data from being a static report into a dynamic decision-support tool. Farmers can adjust fertiliser regimes, planting choices and irrigation strategies based on real-time soil conditions rather than generalised assumptions.
The platform is also designed for use by agribusinesses, researchers and governments seeking large-scale soil intelligence. Each test feeds into UjuziKilimo’s cloud-based system, where artificial intelligence models trained on thousands of soil profiles across different agro-ecological zones continuously learn and adapt.
This allows for aggregation of soil data at scale, supporting applications such as regional soil mapping, agricultural planning and policy formulation.
Built for real-world farming conditions
Weighing just 105 grams, SoilPal Pro is designed for rugged use in field conditions, a critical requirement for smallholder farmers who operate in remote and often harsh environments. The company says durability and portability were central considerations in the product’s design.
Mr Bosire, who grew up in a farming household, said personal experience informed the development of the technology.
“As a farmer’s son, I’ve seen firsthand the resilience it takes to turn uncertain soils into harvests,” he said. “People growing our food deserve more than resilience; they deserve technology that is powerful, affordable, and tailored to the environments they farm in.”
Affordability and ease of use, he added, are essential if precision agriculture tools are to reach smallholder farmers, who make up the majority of food producers in Africa and other emerging markets.
Transition from pilot to global scale
The launch of SoilPal Pro also marks the retirement of UjuziKilimo’s original SoilPal 1.0 programme, which focused on piloting soil intelligence solutions among smallholder farmers. According to the company, the initial programme reached more than 100,000 farmers, delivering yield gains of up to 30 percent in the first season and up to 200 percent over three years.
Those results provided the commercial and technical foundation for SoilPal Pro, which UjuziKilimo describes as a fully commercial, globally scalable product designed to serve diverse geographies and agricultural systems.
The transition reflects a broader shift in agri-tech from donor-supported pilots to commercially viable solutions that can be adopted by farmers, enterprises and public institutions at scale.
Positioning Kenya in global agri-tech
UjuziKilimo’s launch comes at a time when Kenya’s technology sector is increasingly seeking global relevance beyond fintech and mobile services. Agri-tech, driven by the need for food security and climate resilience, is emerging as a key growth area.
Analysts say innovations such as SoilPal Pro highlight the potential for locally developed technologies to compete internationally, particularly when they address universal challenges such as soil health and sustainable agriculture.
For governments, access to real-time, large-scale soil data could improve agricultural planning and productivity programmes. For agribusinesses, it offers more precise supply chain and input strategies. For farmers, it promises better yields and more efficient use of increasingly expensive inputs.
As UjuziKilimo opens SoilPal Pro to global partners, enterprises and public sector adopters, the success of the product will likely depend on pricing, distribution and the ability to integrate with existing agricultural systems.
Still, the company is positioning the launch as a turning point in how soil intelligence is generated and used.
“The future of informed farming isn’t coming,” the company said. “It’s already here.”
