Austria-based Pessl Instruments has established a South African subsidiary as part of a plan to deploy a large-scale agricultural weather-monitoring network across Africa, reflecting increased private-sector interest in farm-level data systems in emerging markets.
The new unit, Pessl Instruments South Africa, will serve as a base for a proposed rollout of as many as 100,000 weather stations across the continent. The company didn’t specify a timeline or investment size for the project.
The expansion builds on earlier deployments in South Africa, including installations linked to the EUREKA Climate Smart Agriculture project, where more than 200 stations were installed in the Western Cape. The new effort would extend those activities beyond regional projects to a broader, multi-country network.
Chief Executive Gottfried Pessl said access to localized weather data remains limited in many African agricultural markets, constraining decisions on irrigation, crop protection and harvest timing.
The planned network would combine real-time field measurements with historical data and forecasting models to provide farm-level guidance on planting, irrigation and disease management. The company said the initiative will be privately financed.
Pessl intends to offer the service through a subscription model, with farmers receiving weather stations installed at no cost for an initial six-month period before paying for access to digital tools.
Execution of the project will be supported by an advisory board including specialists in agricultural finance, climate policy and farm development. Ilse Trautmann, a member of the board, said limited infrastructure and access to decision-support data continue to weigh on agricultural productivity across the continent.
The company plans to formally present the initiative at an event scheduled for March 25 in Stellenbosch, bringing together government officials, agribusiness representatives and financial institutions.
Founded in 1984, Pessl Instruments develops environmental monitoring systems and digital platforms used in agriculture and related sectors, operating globally under its METOS brand.
Discussion0 comments