Agrilo and Agrilo-VR: Field Validation and Real-World Deployment of AI-Driven Soil and Nutrient Sensing Systems in South Africa

Healthy soil is crucial for global food security, yet farmers face declining fertility, nutrient depletion, and rising fertilizer costs. These challenges are particularly pressing for smallholder farmers in South Africa, where timely soil information is limited. This project connects researchers from Canada and South Africa to advance Agrilo, a real-time soil nutrient sensing system, and Agrilo-VR, an immersive virtual reality platform for environmental education.
Agrilo’s portable, low-cost sensors measure essential soil indicators—including nitrate, phosphate, potassium, pH, boron, sulfur, CEC, NOM, magnesium, manganese, iron, and calcium—with near-laboratory accuracy. These data help farmers optimize fertilizer application, reduce nutrient runoff, and improve crop performance. Field validation will take place across South Africa’s diverse agricultural landscapes, allowing for assessment under real farming conditions.
A student intern will travel to South Africa to support field validation, collect soil datasets, and assist with the deployment and testing of Agrilo-VR in schools, training centres, and conservation programs. Agrilo-VR will transform real soil and ecological data into interactive learning environments that make environmental science accessible and engaging.
By integrating sensing technology, AI-driven analytics, and VR-based education, this project promotes climate-smart agriculture, strengthens international collaboration, and expands access to sustainable soil management tools across both partner regions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mohammed Elmorsy;Samuel Mugo

Student:

Partner:

University of KwaZulu Natal -Pietermaritzburg Campus

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Agriculture and Food; Environmental Science and Technology; Education

University:

MacEwan University

Program: