As agriculture faces increasing pressure to improve yields while reducing water and input costs, smart farming technologies are becoming essential.
In Africa – where many rural areas still lack reliable cellular coverage – LoRaWAN offers a powerful alternative, enabling long-range, low-power connectivity for real-time farm monitoring.
Through its partnership with Dragino, Otto Wireless Solutions is bringing a complete smart farming ecosystem to South Africa and the broader African market – combining rugged IoT sensors with the ThingsEye.io platform for seamless, data-driven agriculture.
Miyelani Kubayi, Technical Director at Otto Wireless Solutions explains the importance of the technology in these points:
- Easy to use
- Control from anywhere
- Farm smarter
- Real results
- Bigger harvests
- Grow your revenue
Discover how Dragino LoRaWAN sensors and the ThingsEye.io platform enable real‑time smart farming in Africa. Powered by Otto Wireless Solutions for precision agriculture.
From manual farming to data-driven decisions
Traditional farming methods often rely on fixed schedules and manual checks, leading to wasted water, delayed responses, and inconsistent yields.
With Dragino’s LoRaWAN-enabled sensors, farmers can monitor:
- Soil moisture, temperature, and conductivity
- Leaf moisture
- Weather conditions
- Water usage (Pressure or Flow)
- Water level
- And any other essential parameters
This real-time data enables precision irrigation, better crop management, and reduced operational costs.
Why LoRaWAN Is the Best Connectivity Technology for African Farms
LoRaWAN is ideally suited for African farming conditions:
- Long-range coverage (up to 10 km)
- Multi-year battery life
- Optional solar power
- No SIM cards required on the sensors/nodes
- Reliable in remote, low-connectivity areas
- Scalable across large farms
A single gateway can connect hundreds of sensors, making deployments cost-effective and easy to scale.
Dragino Smart Farming Devices – Rugged, Accurate, and Built for Agriculture
Dragino offers a wide range of agricultural sensors and devices, including:
Soil & Plant Health Sensors
- SE01 – Soil Moisture, Temperature & Conductivity
- SPH01 – Soil pH
- SDI-12 – SDI-12 to LoRaWAN Converter
- LMS01 – Leaf Moisture
These sensors give farmers accurate data for precision irrigation, nutrient management, and early stress detection.
Weather & Climate Sensors
- WSC2 Weather Station
- Temperature & Humidity Sensors
Crucial for understanding microclimates and managing greenhouse systems.
Water Flow & Irrigation Control
- SW3L Water Flow Sensor
- Water Level Sensors
- LT22222 Irrigation Control Switch
LoRaWAN Connectivity Infrastructure
- Dragino LoRaWAN Gateways
Together, these tools support fully automated, IoT-driven irrigation systems—vital for drought‑affected areas.
ThingsEye.io: Turning Data into Action
The ThingsEye.io platform acts as the central hub for smart farming operations, offering:
- Real-time dashboards and alerts
- Easy QR-based device onboarding
- Automated irrigation scheduling
- Historical data analysis (up to 5 years)
- Mobile access for on-the-go monitoring (Android or iOS App)
- Wireless Technology: LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, LTE-M, Cellular/LTE
Farmers can monitor and manage their entire operation remotely, improving efficiency and responsiveness.
Proven Results for Modern Farming
Globally, Dragino-powered deployments have demonstrated:
- Up to 22% water savings
- Improved crop yields
- Reduced labour and monitoring costs
These benefits are now being brought to African farms through Otto Wireless Solutions.
Driving the Future of Farming in Africa
With Dragino’s LoRaWAN technology, the ThingsEye.io platform, and local support from Otto Wireless Solutions, smart farming is becoming more accessible than ever.
The result is a more connected, efficient, and sustainable agricultural future – where farmers can make better decisions, conserve resources, and maximise productivity.
Together, we are building Africa’s future – one smart field at a time.
Contact Otto Wireless Solutions for orders or for more information
Email: wireless@otto.co.za
Phone: +27 (0)11 791 1033
Website: www.otto.co.za
