Plot 14 · soil checkillustrative
31%moisture
MTWTFSS
Plant after Thursday’s rain.
01Agricultural Intelligence
Soil, water and weather data a farmer can act on.
Applied research · Built in Nigeria
Light on Africa’s hardest problems.
We take ideas from first thought to field trial to something people use.
In the fieldAbuja, NG
Can a farmer read the soil before planting?
Agricultural Intelligence
- Question
- Prototype
- Field trial
- Evidence
Why now
17% of the world. 1% of its research.
Africa isn’t short of ideas. Only of light to see them by.
- of global R&D spend is in Africa
- ~1%
- of the world’s people live here
- 17%
- people on Earth will be African by 2050
- 1 in 4
Programmes
Three programmes. One test: does it work out there?
Each starts with a real question and ends with evidence.
Field checkillustrative
DustSealed
HeatRated for 45°C
SignalOffline · syncs later
RepairLocal parts
02Field Robotics
Machines built for dust, heat and patchy signal.
Trial logillustrative
- Sensor reading logged
- Pump test · failed
- Fix applied · retest
- Result signed off
Every result kept. Including the fails.
03Evidence Systems
Field data structured so every decision can be checked.
Method
Not a report on a shelf. A lab that ships.
We build alongside farmers, researchers and engineers.
STEP 03 / 05
Test in the field
Where it’s meant to work: dust, heat, no signal.
Focus
Where we point the light
Three areas where better research changes the most lives.
Food · Climate
Land & Climate
Feed a continent that farms by hand and by rain, and prepare it for floods and heat.
- Food security
- Climate resilience
- Soil and water
- Early warning
Research
In the field now
Some live. Some still being built. All tested where they’ll be used.
LiveTok234 Mini
How far? Wetin dey happen?
Hi! What’s going on?
Tok234Live
Speech AI built around the way Nigerians speak, starting with Pidgin.
Serra 01soil sense · GPR
Moisture
Nitrogen
Compaction
Illustrative · sensor set in development
Serra 01In development
A multi-sensor field rover that reads soil where it lies.
Observation09:41
Leaf curl on the east rows after the dry spell.
Plot 3Photo ×2Reviewed
FieldnoteIn development
A simpler way for research teams to collect and review field observations.
About
Applied research, built in Nigeria.
Engineers, researchers and field teams in Abuja, working with the people who’ll use what we make.
- 01
Resilient by design
Built for dust, heat and intermittent power.
- 02
Locally repairable
Serviced by local teams, with parts found here.
- 03
Auditable evidence
Every decision traces back to field data.
- 04
Open about failure
We publish what breaks, not just what works.
FAQ
Good questions
Starting a programme with Tala, in short answers.
What problems can Tala solve?
Hard research questions that need a working system, physical or digital, proven under real African conditions.
How does a programme start?
With a call. We agree the question, what success looks like, and where it will be tested.
Do we need existing data or partners?
No. Bring what you have. We can build the data and the field partnerships with you.
What does our team still handle?
Access, local context and decisions. We handle the research, build and field work.
How long is field testing?
It depends on the question and the season. We agree the trial length before work starts.
What will it cost?
It’s scoped per programme. You get a written scope and price before anything begins.
Is testing safe?
Yes. Every trial runs with consent, local partners and a safety plan agreed up front.
Bring us your hard problem.
We frame it, build it, test it where it’s used, and hand you the evidence.