InitiativeApril 2026
SaharaX GreenTech Launches Ethiopia Phase 1 Pilot
The 200-station pilot deployment begins across five strategic zones in southern and central Ethiopia, marking a historic milestone for precision agriculture in Africa.
METOS® by Pessl Instruments — 41+ Years of Innovation
Grow more.
Risk less.
Building Africa's largest real-time weather intelligence network. 100,000 METOS stations. One continent. Unlimited potential.
Connecting Ethiopian Farmers with METOS — A Trusted Brand
22,962+
African Continental Plan
1,607
Deploying in Ethiopia
9+
Years Experience
5
Countries
1:5
ROI
3,214+
Jobs Created
100,000METOS Stations Planned·7,000 stationsEthiopia Phase 1·1:5ROI Proven·8,778+Jobs to be Created·15Countries Active·41+Years of Innovation·5 regionsPilot Zones·60–70%Tower Sharing Savings·40+Disease Models·30–40%Pesticide Reduction·15–25%Yield Uplift·80–100 kmGrid Spacing Tier 1·15 kmGrid Spacing Tier 2·100,000METOS Stations Planned·7,000 stationsEthiopia Phase 1·1:5ROI Proven·8,778+Jobs to be Created·15Countries Active·41+Years of Innovation·5 regionsPilot Zones·60–70%Tower Sharing Savings·40+Disease Models·30–40%Pesticide Reduction·15–25%Yield Uplift·80–100 kmGrid Spacing Tier 1·15 kmGrid Spacing Tier 2·
The Challenge
Farming Blind in a
Volatile Climate
Africa has very poor weather data. National forecasts cover 50–100 km grids while individual farms sit in microclimates that no forecast captures. Africa stands at a decisive moment — with the right infrastructure, data, and leadership, Africa has the potential not only to feed itself but to become a major global food exporter.
Unpredictable Weather
National forecasts cover 50–100 km grids. Individual farms sit in microclimates that no forecast captures.
Pest & Disease Outbreaks
Without local humidity and temperature data, fungal diseases and pest pressure hit before farmers can react.
Water Mismanagement
Irrigating on guesswork wastes Ethiopia's richest resource and adds unnecessary input costs.
Yield & Income Loss
Decisions made without data reduce profitability and resilience, with no financial safety net.
The Solution
The Holistic METOS +
SaharaX Platform
A complete ecosystem connecting IoT weather stations, AI-powered analytics, and local advisory networks to transform African agriculture.
FieldClimate Cloud Ecosystem
Central intelligence platform connecting all data sources and users
Insect Monitoring
Irrigation Management
Disease Models
Work Track & Planning
Frost & Heat Monitoring
Plant Growth & Nutrition
Data Sources
- METOS IoTs
- AgroMeteo Data
- Satellite Imagery
- Weather Forecast
- Images & Sampling Data
User Interfaces
- FieldClimate Web Dashboard
- FieldClimate Mobile App
- API Partner Integrations
- SMS Alert System
- DFA Advisor Portal
Why METOS
Six Pillars of Value
Precision Climate Intelligence
100,000+ stations planned across Africa, localized 14-day forecasts refined with real-time data from your specific field.
Operational Efficiency
Optimize spraying, irrigation, planting, and harvest timing with data-driven field decisions.
Risk Intelligence
Bankable production data, insurable operations, and comprehensive climate risk mitigation.
Digital Agriculture
Integrable with major ag platforms, real-time analytics and alerts delivered to any device.
Local Advisory Network (DFA)
Trusted local Digital Farm Advisor franchise partners supporting 200–500 farmers per region.
Simple Subscription Model
Easy subscription similar to a mobile service plan — continuous service and support.
Proven Impact
Critical Use Cases
Return on Investment1:5
HIGH
Optimal Seeding Time
Soil temp ≥10°C + rainfall probability >60% + frost-free window = SMS alerts to farmers.
Yield uplift: 15–25%
CRITICAL
Plant Protection
Humidity >80% + temp 15–25°C = fungal risk model activation. Targeted spray windows.
Pesticide reduction: 30–40%
HIGH
Fertilizer Application
Rain event 5–10mm forecast in 48h = optimal uptake window. Prevents nitrogen loss.
Nitrogen loss prevention: 35%
HIGH
Harvest Weather
3-day dry window forecasting for combine harvesting. Reduces grain moisture <14% at harvest.
Post-harvest loss reduction: 20%
EXPORT
Regulatory Compliance
Logs pesticide application conditions (wind <5 m/s, no rain 24h). Timestamped evidence.
GlobalG.A.P., SPS, MRL audits
HIGH
Irrigation Management
Monitor Soil Moisture, ET and WFC to give the plant water when needed — TIME and QUANTITY.
Precision water delivery
BANKABLE OPERATIONS|INSURABLE PRODUCTION|RISK MITIGATION
→ HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY · STRONGER PROFITABILITY
Temporal Intelligence
Past. Present. Future.
Past
Understand
Historical Data
- Crop analysis and understanding
- Comparison between areas and crops
- Rainfall map and water balance
- Climate zoning
- Evaluation of crop results
Present
Control
Current Climate
- Real-time weather per field
- Spraying optimization
- Irrigation management
- Disease alerts
- Pest/insect monitoring
- Frost & extreme weather alerts
Future
Plan
Localized Forecast
- Planning operations per ideal climate window
- Planting/harvesting scheduling
- Machinery entry timing
- Cultivar selection and crop planning
Ethiopia Phase 1
7,000 Stations.
Two-Tier Deployment.
A systematic approach to building Africa's most comprehensive weather intelligence network, leveraging existing telecom infrastructure.
Tier 1 — Synoptic Backbone
~3,000 stationsMounted on cell phone towers with 80–100 km grid spacing. Provides national weather service integration, calibration anchor points, and supports aerial/drone and hydrology services.
Grid: 80–100 km spacingTier 2 — Agricultural Zones
~4,000 stationsPlaced on schools, villages, and large farms with 15 km grid spacing. Delivers crop advisory, disease models, and precision farming data directly to farmers.
Grid: 15 km spacingTower Sharing Infrastructure
~10,000 existing telecom towers across Ethiopia. Ethio Telecom and Safaricom already share towers. Tower-sharing cuts infrastructure costs by 60–70%. Weather station co-location requires zero new land acquisition. Security and internet backhaul already exist.
60–70% Cost ReductionZero Land AcquisitionBuilt-in Security
Continental Vision
Africa's Weather Intelligence Network
Data Sharing — Weather Has No Borders!
AFRICA WEATHER STATION NETWORK DEPLOYMENT
Planned 100,000 station network across Africa
2026
Pilot
200 stations
2027
Scale
2,000 stations
2028
Full Rollout
7,000 stations
2030+
Continental
100,000 stations
Phase 1 Deployment
Pilot Phase — Target Regions
Five strategic zones selected for the initial 200-station deployment across southern and central Ethiopia.
Pilot Regions
Jimma
Jimma Zone, Oromia
Arsi
Arsi Zone, Oromia
Bale
Bale Zone, Oromia
Guji
Guji Zone, Oromia
Sidama
Sidama Region
200
Pilot Stations · Phase 1
Global Impact
METOS® Success Stories
Proven results across 6 continents — the same technology powering the SaharaX initiative.
🇿🇦South Africa
EUREKA Climate Smart Agriculture
200+ METOS® weather stations and 100 soil probes across Western Cape. Partnership between Pessl Instruments, METOS SA, and TerraClim. Helped farmers make data-driven decisions on irrigation, pest detection, and spray timing.
🌍West Asia
National Water Network (19+ Years)
30 METOS stations deployed in 2007 for a national water authority. Still operational after 19 years. Provides rainfall and weather data for water management.
🇺🇸United States
Irrigation Consulting
Jim Britton, Britton AG Consulting. Uses METOS for irrigation, weather, disease, and insect monitoring. Dashboard helps farmers see crop conditions in real time.
Powered by METOS® / Pessl Instruments
Visit metos.globalTechnology
Products & Technology
METOS Weather Stations
Hardware + Software (IoT + SaaS) combination. Climate monitoring, crop/field damage prevention via early warning, flood and drought warning systems.
Climate MonitoringEarly WarningFlood & DroughtAI-Powered Monitoring
iSCOUT
AI-powered insect monitoring. Solar-powered, self-sufficient trap with 10MP camera. Images sent via LTE, analyzed with AI and self-learning algorithms on FieldClimate.
Pest MonitoringAI AnalysisSolar Powered
Disease Models
40+ crop disease models available for Ethiopia including Coffee, Wheat, Corn, Pulses, and many more. Real-time risk assessment and targeted intervention.
40+ ModelsReal-time RiskEthiopia Crops
Franchise OpportunityBecome a DFA Franchise Partner
Digital Farm Advisor
A new franchise model that creates skilled digital jobs for youth and women in local villages. Each DFA supports 200–500 farmers in their region.
Holistic
Advisory services for every farming need
Digital
Latest Pessl tools and software
Local
Trusted individuals in the community
Expert
Agricultural background and field experience
"Trust is the seed of the model."
Ecosystem
Business Ecosystem & Partnerships
Models tailored to each market segment
I
Investment
INPUT
Capital investment + Go-To-Market
OUTPUT
Strategy direction + Revenue share
P
Partnership
INPUT
Station placement + Go-To-Market
OUTPUT
Data access + Co-Branding
F
Franchise
INPUT
License fee + Franchise model
OUTPUT
Full service access + Support
Current and Target Partners — Only with selected Partners
Ethiopian Ministry of AgricultureMInTSyngentaJohn DeereNetafimETGYARAEthiopian Coffee & Tea AuthorityLindsayGIZJICASISDACGIARATIKerchanshe GroupBayerGates FoundationRockefeller FoundationTAFEUPL
Leadership
C-Level Honorary
Executive Advisory Board
Strategic direction, market access, capital strategy, and global credibility. All roles are honorary, highly active, and mission-driven.
BK
Brian Ketcham
Retired CFO, Lindsay Corporation
Finance, Irrigation & Water Intelligence
CW
Christoph Wigger
Senior Mechanization & Agricultural Systems Expert
Mechanization, Resource Efficiency & Scalable Operations
HJ
Dr. Hans Jöhr
Co-Founder & Honorary President, SAI Platform
Regenerative Agriculture, Supply Chain & Farmer Economics
IT
Dr. Ilse Trautmann
Climate-Smart Agriculture & Policy Expert
Climate Intelligence, Government & University Engagement
ET
Dr. Emmanuel Taban
Pulmonologist, Agricultural Entrepreneur & Author
Farmer Perspective, Resilience & Human Impact
KG
Dr. Karl Gutbrod
Former CEO & Current CSO, meteoblue
Weather Technology, Agricultural Management & Digital Business
Ethiopia Operations
SaharaX Leadership Team
YT
Dr. Yoseph
CEO — Chief Executive Officer
AD
Dr. Adugna
CSO — Chief Scientific Officer
TF
Dr. Teferi
CTO — Chief Technology Officer
MG
Mr. Mengiste
CFO — Chief Financial Officer
RD
Mr. Rediat
PMO — Project Management Officer
BH
Ms. Betelihem
EA-CEO — Executive Assistant to CEO
YF
Mr. Yafet
ICTO — ICT Officer
HL
Ms. Hilena
COO — Chief Operating Officer
Impact
Who Benefits & What Changes
Target Beneficiaries
Smallholder farmers
Better planning, higher productivity
Advisory services & cooperatives
Data-based recommendations
Institutions & policymakers
Aggregated data for strategy design
Education & R&D
Access to local agronomic datasets
Banks & Insurances
Data for bankable services and collaterals
Expected Impact
Empower smallholders with real-time weather & agronomic intelligence
Reduce yield losses through early warning and precise resource use
Strengthen climate resilience and digital inclusion in agriculture
Support national strategies on food security and climate adaptation
Rural job creation through agri-tech deployment and maintenance
Transparent fund use via blockchain and digital systems
Stronger smallholder farm productivity
Rural job creation
Increased food production & supply stability
Long-term reduction of climate risks
Improved farmer income stability
Reliable local climate & agronomic data infrastructure
"Reliable weather intelligence is not a nice-to-have. It is the foundation of resilient, productive, and investable agriculture."
Efficient water and irrigation management
Reduced climate risk and crop losses
Smarter use of inputs and mechanization
Bankable agriculture attracting private capital
Parametric insurance and climate-risk financing
Transparent data-driven policy and food security
About SaharaXA Pessl Instruments
Visit metos.global
A Pessl Instruments
Initiative
SaharaX GreenTech is a strategic initiative by Pessl Instruments — the Austrian company behind the globally trusted METOS® brand — to deploy precision agricultural weather intelligence across Africa, starting with Ethiopia.
With 41+ years of innovation, 25 countries of operation, and a 1:5 return on investment proven across thousands of farms worldwide, METOS® brings the world's most trusted agri-weather platform to African farmers.
41+
Years of Innovation
25
Countries
1:5
ROI Proven
100K
Stations Planned
Timeline
1983
Pessl Instruments founded in Austria
1995
First METOS® weather station deployed
2007
FieldClimate platform launched
2015
iSCOUT AI pest monitoring introduced
2020
METOS Africa expansion begins
2024
SaharaX GreenTech initiative launched
2026
Ethiopia Phase 1 pilot deployment
News & Insights
View all news Latest Updates
TechnologyMarch 2026
METOS® iSCOUT AI Pest Monitoring Now Available in Ethiopia
The AI-powered insect monitoring system, featuring a 10MP camera and self-learning algorithms, is now deployed across Ethiopian coffee and wheat farms.
PartnershipFebruary 2026
SaharaX Signs MoU with Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture
A landmark memorandum of understanding establishes the framework for national weather station deployment and data sharing with Ethiopia's agricultural institutions.
Join the Movement
Join the Movement
Join us in this groundbreaking initiative to revolutionize agriculture in Africa, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
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South Africa
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South Africa