Welcome 🥳

How would you rate the day that is one-third into October?
10/10.

Now that the jokes are out of the way, we want to introduce you to Rhea’s first ever newsletter! We hope you come for the Rhea updates, but stay for the good vibes. Let’s start with an introduction from Rhea’s Chief Executive Officer, Priscilla Wakarera.

A Word From Rhea’s CEO

Dear Rhea Community,

We're excited to present the inaugural Rhea newsletter, offering a peek into our dynamic progress. In the past ten months, our smallholder farmers have been our driving force, propelling us forward in crafting groundbreaking IoT devices and a powerful Machine Learning software for revolutionary soil health management. A big thank you to our farmers and partners for their unwavering support, helping us achieve remarkable milestones! Rhea's accolades and participation in major events like the Africa Climate Summit and African Grain Trade Summit have been a privilege. With your continued support, we're forging a sustainable future for African agriculture.

Sincerely,

Priscilla Wakarera

September Recap 🌱

September was jam packed with conventions, Rhea attended the Africa Climate Week Summit in Nairobi, Kenya (4-6th September) and the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (5-8th September).

Africa Climate Week Summit

The first ever Africa Climate Summit saw approximately 30,000 delegates participate, including 18 Heads of African States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres, and President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen, with discussions centered on climate action financing, the green growth agenda for Africa, and climate action and economic development.

Africa Food Systems Forum

Rhea is pleased to have participated and won in this year's Pitch AgriHack competition at the Africa Food Systems Summit 2023 in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. AGRF is the world's premier forum for African agriculture, bringing together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward. This year's AGRF theme was 'Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa's Solutions to Food Systems Transformation' while the Pitch AgriHack competition looked for young agritech entrepreneurs to present their technological solutions with the vision to transform the continent’s agricultural landscape. As a women-led start-up, Rhea hopes to continue empowering and uplifting women in the agribusiness and agritech space. The summit allowed Rhea to engage and learn from stakeholders across the agricultural value chain towards the shared goal of sustainable food systems in Africa.

Expansion to New Counties

In the month of September, Rhea began offering services to customers in Meru and Nakuru County. The addition of the two counties, increases Rhea’s presence to a total of 8 counties in Kenya (Kiambu, Kajiado, Murang’a, Machakos, Meru, Narok, Nakuru, and Nyeri).

This expansion shows our progress to provide accessible, convenient soil testing services to customers. As we expand services, Rhea promotes soil health management practices through trainings and workshops to help small holder farmers in Kenya strive towards sustainable food production and environmental conservation.

Soil Health Management Training in Trans Nozia County

_{By Suzette Kerubo}

On the 2nd of September, Rhea had the privilege to disseminate information on soil health management to sixty-two (62) Sibanga farmers in Trans Nzoia County. We addressed the four main challenges identified during the session:

1️⃣ Low productivity

2️⃣ Confusion on which fertilizers to use

3️⃣ High cost of production

4️⃣ Climate change

💡 Our two services were ideal solutions to their problems. 1. Soil testing: which proved to be a game-changer, effectively addressing all four of their primary concerns. 2. Carbon credit trade: through strategic partnerships, Rhea offsets greenhouse emissions by incentivizing carbon-neutral nature-based practices, this initiative emerged as a powerful tool for mitigating climate change.

👂 The farmers were incredibly attentive and inquisitive, which signals that the point reached home. Congratulations to the Sibanga farmers for their proactive approach to these challenges!

New Employee Announcement 🎉

We are excited to have a new addition to the Rhea team. Speranzer Muthoni will be joining Rhea full-time as a Sales Agronomist. Speranzer is an enthusiastic agriculture and horticulture scientist with expertise in soil improvement, soil fertility, sales, and agronomy support. Her great interpersonal skills and depth knowledge will prove valuable in contributing to Rhea’s mission to meet farmers on the ground to disseminate vital knowledge on soil health management. Speranzer will be spearheading our Rhea Kajiado County presence, so if you need soil testing or agronomy services in Kajiado, please give her a call. Karibu Sana, Speranzer!

October So Far 🌱

The 10th African Grain Trade Summit

Rhea participated at the 10th African Grain Trade Summit in Kampala, Uganda (5th to 7th October). The Summit was organized by the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) in partnership with the Government of Uganda and grain value stakeholders. We had the privilege to participate at the Summit’s Breakfast Session (Moderated by the EAGC and Jasiri) where Rhea's CEO, Priscilla Wakarera, discussed 'Influencing Policy for Enhancing Cross Border Grain Trade in Eastern Africa'. Priscilla addressed challenges and opportunities at the crop production level for grains. She amplified the importance of capacity building, policy support, and education in ensuring the widespread adoption of sustainable soil management practices, ultimately leading to increased yields and enhanced resilience in the grain sector across Africa.

Let’s Prepare for El Niño 🌧️

IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) announced that the October to December 2023 climate forecast shows high chances of wetter-than-usual conditions across most parts of the Greater Horn of Africa (Southern Ethiopia, Eastern Kenya, and Southern Somalia).

The El Niño phenomenon can significantly impact soil health, bringing about excessive rainfall and altered weather patterns. This heightened moisture can lead to soil erosion, compaction, and nutrient leaching, jeopardizing its overall health and fertility. To mitigate these effects, farmers can implement several key strategies.

1. Firstly, contour plowing and terracing should be employed to slow down water runoff and prevent erosion. This creates natural barriers that intercept the flow of rainwater, safeguarding the soil from degradation.

2. Secondly, cover crops play a crucial role in maintaining soil structure during El Niño events. Their extensive root systems anchor the soil, reducing erosion risks and enhancing its resilience. Mulching with organic materials helps retain moisture and protect the soil surface from the impact of heavy raindrops, preserving its structure.

3. Finally, adopting no-till farming practices minimizes soil disturbance, aiding in the preservation of its health and fertility amidst the turbulent weather patterns associated with El Niño. By employing these preventive measures, farmers can fortify their soil against the adverse effects of this climatic phenomenon, ensuring its long-term productivity.

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