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Climate Smart Agriculture

We help farmers adapt to a changing climate through sustainable, climate resilient farming techniques. 

This is our most extensive focus area, spanning projects such as SMART in Rwanda, Grafted Tomato Resilience work in Uganda, the SOSIA Satellite Irrigation tool in Rwanda and Zambia, Commercial Input Development in Zambia, and the HiFarm data driven farming pilot in Kenya. 

Across these projects, we combine affordable technology, quality inputs and practical training to help farmers produce more with less, while protecting soil, water and long term productivity.

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What We Do;

  • Make horticulture technologies affordable and adaptable for African farmers (SMART, Rwanda).
  • Screen and develop climate resilient crop varieties, such as bacterial wilt tolerant tomato rootstocks (Uganda).
  • Deploy satellite based irrigation advice to reduce water use (SOSIA, Rwanda and Zambia).
  • Strengthen local agro dealer networks for climate smart inputs such as drip irrigation and hybrid seeds (Zambia).
  • Pilot data driven agronomic extension using drone and sensor technology (HiFarm, Kenya).
  • Deliver practical trainings on modern cultivation methods (RVO PUM, Zambia).

Our Approach: From Skills to Economic Impact;

We apply a structured pathway: 

Technology and crop innovation → Farmer training and demonstration plots → Local input and service systems → Adoption at scale → Resilient, productive farming systems.

  • Pilot ventures tested with lead investors before scale up (SMART).
  • Farmer led seed and rootstock systems (Uganda).
  • Demonstration plots and Farmer Field Days.
  • Local agro dealer and input supply strengthening (Zambia).
  • Drone and satellite based monitoring tools (Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia).
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Impact Areas Aligned 


Job Creation 

  • Long term partnerships and expansion of technology and service providers into new markets, including Uganda, Zambia and Kenya (SMART).
  • Growth of local agro dealer networks (Zambia).

Improved Incomes

  • Enhanced productivity of participating farmers by up to 25%  (HiFarm, Kenya).
  • 20% increase in sales for HGT through agro dealers since 2021 (Zambia).
  • 6,000 farmers trained on good agricultural practices and seed usage (Uganda).

Green Growth 

  • Water savings of 15% to 50%, averaging 35%, through satellite based irrigation advice (SOSIA)
  • Improved capacity of 4,000 smallholder farmers for commercial grafted tomato production, reducing disease pressure (Uganda).
  • Demonstrated potential of data driven, resource efficient farming extension (HiFarm, Kenya).

 Our Added Value

We combine applied research, affordable technology and local delivery systems, tested first through pilots with lead investors and then expanded through partnerships across multiple countries. This allows climate smart solutions to move from research stage to farmer level adoption at scale.

Project Cases

SMART - Rwanda Smart Adaptive Sustainable Horticulture

Holland Greentech Rwanda | June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2018 

Organization Consortium: 

VDS Acampo BV / Holland Greentech. 

Project Details 

An initiative of the Netherlands in which public learning institutions and private sector joined forces to support Rwanda in developing a competitive and innovative horticulture sector. 

Locations: 

Rwanda, South Africa.

Financials & Management 

Donor: NL Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RVO. 

Total cost: EUR 2,500,000. 

Role of HGT: Manager. 

Donor contribution: EUR 1,250,000.

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Objectives & Impact

  • Make horticulture technologies affordable and adaptable for African farmers.
  • Address productivity, supply chain, and market challenges.
  • Promote food security, poverty reduction, and environmental protection.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Developed 3 pilot ventures with lead investors to test SMART solutions.
  • Established long term partnerships.
  • Expanded tech solutions to Uganda, Zambia, and Kenya.


Improved Resilience Through Sustainable Production of Grafted Tomatoes

Holland Greentech Uganda | January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019

Organization Consortium: 

Solidaridad, Makerere University, NaCCRI, Enza Zaden, House of Seeds, AgriProFocus. 

Affiliated partner: Holland Greentech Uganda.

Project Details 

This research project, with the goal of building wealth and resilience, mapped the prevalence rate of bacterial wilt in Uganda, while identifying resistant genotypes in Uganda, Asia and the Netherlands that can be used as rootstock for grafting with commercial genotypes.

Financials & Management 

Donor: WOTRO/NWO. 

Contract value: EUR 250,000. 

Funding: Applied Research Fund. 

HGT share: EUR 36,000 (14% ).

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Objectives & Impact

  • Mobilize and assess bacterial wilt prevalence and its socio economic impact.
  • Screen tomato rootstocks for bacterial wilt tolerance.
  • Commercialize grafted tomato seedling production with youth through Young Plant Raisers Nurseries.
  • Improve the capacity of 4,000 smallholder farmers for commercial grafted tomato production.
  • Create awareness on grafted tomato technology through knowledge dissemination.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Advised farmers on production units.
  • Supplied and installed 5 new production units and greenhouses.
  • Revised one greenhouse for seedling production.
  • Provided training on greenhouse operation, seedling production, and a business case.

ISSD Plus - Vegetable Component

Holland Greentech Uganda | 2017 to 2020

Organization

Affiliated Partners: Holland Greentech, WUR-CDI, Rijk Zwaan.

Project Details 

Building on earlier efforts to test the potential of farmer led seed production systems. ISSD Plus adopted a comprehensive approach to seed sector development in Uganda, aiming to increase smallholder access to quality seed and strengthen the entire seed value chain. 

Financials & Management 

Donor: NL Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Budget: EUR 200,000.

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Objectives & Impact

  • Improved vegetable production through good agricultural practices and uptake of improved seeds.
  • Support for hydroponic lettuce production and tomato rootstock varieties.
  • Technology adoption and capacity building in Uganda's horticultural sector.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Training of 6,000 farmers on good agricultural practices and seed usage across 120 demonstration sites.
  • Development of farmer field days, Trainer of Trainer programmes, and innovation projects.

SOSIA

Holland Greentech Rwanda & Zambia | 2022 to 2023

Organization

Consortium: Holland Greentech and Future Water

Project Details 

SOSIA is a state of the art, open source, satellite based tool that provides historical and near real time information on irrigation water requirements for smallholder farmers, calculated from open source geodata and additional farmer and crop information, used to improve irrigation practices in Zambia and Rwanda. 

Financials & Management 

Donor: Dutch Space Office. 

Budget: EUR 160,000

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Objectives & Impact

  • Improve irrigation practices for SME farmers using open source satellite data for irrigation scheduling.
  • Equip extension officers with tools to easily access and share irrigation information.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • All farmers implementing SOSIA achieved water savings while maintaining yields.
  • Praised for user friendly irrigation advice.
  • Water savings ranged between 15% and 50%, averaging 35%.
  • Reduced operational costs by lowering water usage.
  • Optimized land use with solar pump users.
  • Holland Greentech now provides SOSIA advice, expanding agricultural potential in Rwanda and Zambia .

Commercialize Horticultural Inputs Project

Holland Greentech Zambia | 2020 to 2022 

Organization

Consortium: Holland Greentech and Musika.

Project Details 

Theme: Climate Smart Horticulture.

Financials & Management 

Donor: Musika.

Budget: USD 70,000.

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Objectives & Impact

  • Increase accessibility of improved horticultural inputs (drip irrigation, hybrid seeds, soil analysis) to last mile small scale farmers to boost productivity and income.
  • Enhance accessibility to inputs via local agro dealers with tailored solutions. 
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Established agro dealers in Copperbelt, Lusaka, and Central provinces.
  • Set up demo sites showcasing technologies.
  • Trained agro dealers and farmers and facilitated first commercial stock.
  • 20% increase in sales for Holland Greentech through agro dealers since 2021.
  • Showcased successful collaboration between Holland Greentech and Musika to empower small scale farmers.

HiFarm Kenya

Holland Greentech Kenya | 2021 to 2023

Organization

Consortium:  Future Water, HiView Third Eye, ETG, EFF.

Project Details 

Theme: Data driven agricultural intensification pilot for maize, coffee, and tea farmers.

Financials & Management 

Donor: Eco-Business II Sub-Fund Development Facility. 

Project management by FutureWater, including monitoring and evaluation and portal development.

Budget: EUR 63,000.

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Objectives & Impact

  • Increase production through climate smart agriculture and flying sensors.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Soil and leaf analysis provision by Holland Greentech with nutritional advice.
  • Input delivery by ETG based on Holland Greenech's findings.
  • Crop monitoring every 5 weeks by HiView with ThirdEye drone support.
  • 558 sensor flights covering 984 acres per round.
  • Enhanced productivity of 60 farmers by up to 25%.
  • Demonstrated the potential of data driven agronomic extension services.

RVO PUM Project

Holland Greentech Zambia | 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2018

Organization

Affiliated Partner: Holland Greentech. 

Project partner: PUM.

Project Details 

Practical horticultural training programme delivered with partner PUM.

Financials & Management 

Donor:  RVO.

Budget: EUR 25,000. 

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Objectives & Impact

  • Improve vegetable production through adoption of good agricultural practices and uptake of improved vegetable seeds.
  • Increase knowledge and adoption of modern cultivation methods.
  • Improve access to quality inputs and irrigation technologies.
  • Promote integrated, profitable farming practices in rural Zambia.
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Achievements & Expansion

  • Holland Greentech held horticultural trainings aimed at transferring horticultural knowledge and linking small to medium scale farmers to high quality inputs such as hybrid seeds and drip irrigation.
  • Four demonstration sites prepared in Lusaka Province, Copperbelt, and North Western Province.
  • Conducted two day trainings at each demo site with 97 participants.