Pollen Patrollers is transforming beekeeping and agriculture in Africa with its patented technology, Smart Hives. Beekeepers using Smart Hives have seen a 33% revenue increase and a 50% improvement in crop yield quality.
Margaret’s story
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Margaret spent much of her childhood with her beekeeping grandparents in rural Murang’a, where she saw first-hand the vital role of bees in pollination and agriculture. Later, while working on field extension projects in Kajiado, she noticed a major challenge – farmers would not routinely check their hives to avoid bee stings, which led to significant losses.
Beehive collapse is a widespread issue in Kenya, forcing many farmers to abandon beekeeping. Across Africa, 60% of hives collapse annually, contributing to the global crisis of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which threatens ecosystems, agriculture, and food security.
The innovation
To combat this issue, Margaret and her team at Pollen Patrollers developed the innovative Smart Hive device that provides real-time monitoring of hive conditions. The small IoT-powered device, inserted at the base of the beehive roof, tracks key metrics such as temperature, humidity, and hive activity. Equipped with AI-driven analytics, the system processes this data and sends SMS updates to beekeepers, enabling them to take timely action to protect their hives.
A key feature of the Smart Hive is its built-in solar panel, which powers the device continuously without reliance on external electricity sources. This allows beekeepers, even in remote areas, to monitor their hives effortlessly.
Pollen Patrollers also supports small-scale farmers through AI-driven precision pollination services. By using satellite imagery and advanced mapping, they strategically place hives based on crop type, bloom schedules, and weather patterns, maximising pollination efficiency.
The company offers an AI-powered hotline and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) chatbot to provide connection for those without internet, giving real-time, localised training on sustainable farming practices. This ensures accessibility for farmers in areas with limited internet connectivity.
Pollen Patrollers operates with a dual business model:
- Smart Hive leasing – beekeepers can rent the device for just US$2 per month, gaining access to real-time hive monitoring.
- Pollination services – farmers can improve crop yields by leasing bee pollination services for US$10 per acre.
Over the next three years, Pollen Patrollers plans to expand its use of IoT and its team of firmware developers to enhance product quality and production capacity. Positioning the company as a leader in smart agriculture technology, their goal is to scale operations and increase device adoption across Kenya.
Making a difference
The Smart Hive technology already benefits 3,200 beekeepers in Kajiado, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, and Ruiru. By enhancing hive insights, beekeepers have experienced an average 33% revenue increase because of a growth in honey production and rents of bees to small-scale farmers during pollination schedules.
The precise pollination technology supports 2,450 small-scale farmers, resulting in a remarkable 50% improvement in crop yields and quality.
The female-founded team behind Smart Hives includes Margaret Wanjiku (Co-founder and CEO of Pollen Patrollers), Charity Maina (Co-founder and Head of Business Development), and Juliet Wanjohi (Co-founder and COO). has grown to 14 people and over 100 field agents, all of whom are women.
We are a women-founded startup, and all our field agents are women. This is not a coincidence; we believe that if a woman is empowered, the whole community will be empowered. We are working really hard to ensure we empower African women. We are at a very crucial stage in our innovation and we need mentorship and different types of training that are provided by the Africa Prize.
