WAZIUP · Project

IoT and Big Data Platform Connecting Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa to Smart Agriculture

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Imagine a farmer in rural Africa who has no way to monitor soil moisture, track cattle health, or get market prices — all because existing tech solutions assume you have reliable internet and electricity. WAZIUP built an affordable IoT platform that works even with patchy connectivity, combining cheap sensors with cloud-based big data analytics. Think of it as a stripped-down, Africa-ready version of smart farming tools that big European farms already use. The platform went from concept through alpha, beta, and final versions, tested with real farmers and breeders across 4 African countries.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries involved (4 African + 3 EU)

African countries with field validation

SMEs in the consortium

total project deliverables

42%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Farmers and livestock breeders in rural Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to smart agriculture tools because existing IoT platforms assume reliable internet, stable power, and affordable hardware — none of which are guaranteed in these regions. This digital gap means millions of smallholder farmers make decisions without data, leading to preventable crop losses, livestock deaths, and missed market opportunities.

The solution

What was built

WAZIUP delivered a complete IoT-Cloud Big Data platform in three iterations (alpha, beta, final), plus an open IoT sensing and communication test-bed with deployed hardware, radio infrastructure, and management tools. The project also produced training materials and engaged regional hubs for wider dissemination across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Audience

Who needs this

AgriTech companies expanding into African marketsTelecom operators building rural IoT infrastructure in developing regionsDevelopment agencies funding digital agriculture programsIoT hardware manufacturers designing low-cost sensor solutionsImpact investors looking for scalable agriculture technology platforms

Business applications

Who can put this to work

AgriTech / Precision Agriculture

SME

Target: IoT solution providers targeting emerging markets

If you are an AgriTech company looking to enter African markets but struggling with unreliable connectivity and high hardware costs — this project developed a full IoT-Cloud platform (alpha through final version) designed specifically for low-resource rural environments. The platform was validated with farmers and breeders across 4 African countries with 12 consortium partners. It could save you years of R&D adapting your products for these conditions.

Telecommunications / Connectivity

enterprise

Target: Telecom operators expanding rural coverage in Africa

If you are a telecom operator investing in rural African connectivity but need compelling use cases to justify infrastructure spending — WAZIUP built and tested an open IoT sensing and communication test-bed with performance indicators across 7 countries. The platform proves that affordable IoT services can run over limited networks, giving you a ready-made application layer for your rural expansion strategy.

International Development / Impact Investing

any

Target: Development agencies and impact funds focused on digital agriculture

If you are a development organization funding digital agriculture initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa and tired of pilot projects that never scale — WAZIUP delivered 22 project outputs including a final integrated platform, test-bed infrastructure, and training materials. The consortium of 12 partners across 7 countries with 6 SMEs already built the entrepreneurship and startup engagement model you need.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this platform?

The project is branded as an 'Open Innovation Platform,' which suggests open-source or open-access components. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms or pricing are not detailed in the deliverables. You would need to contact the coordinator to clarify commercial terms for any proprietary elements.

Can this scale beyond pilot deployments to full commercial operation?

The platform progressed through alpha, beta, and final integrated versions, demonstrating iterative scaling. It was tested across 4 African countries with real end users. However, commercial-scale deployment data is not available in the project documentation — moving from validated pilot to mass deployment would require further investment.

Who owns the IP, and can I build on this technology?

The coordinator is Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Italy), a public research organization. As an 'Open Innovation Platform,' key components may be openly available, but IP ownership across 12 partners in 7 countries would follow the consortium agreement. Contact the coordinator for specifics on which components are open and which are protected.

Is the technology proven in real conditions or just lab-tested?

The project delivered an open IoT sensing and communication test-bed deployed with real hardware and radio infrastructure. Farmers and breeders were directly involved in defining specifications and validation. This goes well beyond lab testing — it was field-validated in rural Sub-Saharan African conditions.

How current is this technology given the project ended in 2019?

The project closed in January 2019, meaning the core technology is now 7 years old. IoT and cloud platforms evolve rapidly, so some components may need updating. However, the architecture, field-tested designs, and training materials remain valuable starting points, especially for the specific challenge of low-resource environments.

What kind of support or training is available?

The project produced training materials as part of the test-bed deliverable, specifically designed to transfer technical know-how from the sensing and communication work. Regional hubs were also established to promote results. Based on available project data, ongoing commercial support would depend on individual consortium partners' availability.

Consortium

Who built it

The WAZIUP consortium is well-balanced for a technology transfer project, with 12 partners across 7 countries spanning both Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Portugal) and Sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal). The 42% industry ratio and 6 SMEs show strong commercial orientation for a research project. The coordinator, Fondazione Bruno Kessler in Italy, is a well-known research foundation with deep IoT expertise. With 5 industry partners and 3 universities, the consortium bridges the gap between academic research and real-world deployment. The presence of local African companies operating in agriculture and ICT is particularly valuable — they provide on-the-ground market knowledge that purely European teams typically lack.

FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLERCoordinator · IT
UNPARALLEL INNOVATION LDAparticipant · PT
Farmerline Ltdparticipant · GH
UNIVERSITE DE PAU ET DES PAYS DE L'ADOURparticipant · FR
INNOTEC21 GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITE POLYTECHNIQUE DE BOBO-DIOULASSOparticipant · BF
UNIVERSITE GASTON BERGER DE SAINT LOUISparticipant · SN
EGMparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Italy) — a public research foundation. Use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service for direct contact details.

Order a report on this consortium See FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLER profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how WAZIUP's IoT platform could fit your African market strategy? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the research team and help assess technology fit for your specific use case.

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