Agriculture dependence
Over 70% of rural Cameroonian households depend on agriculture, and more than 2.75 million households derive livelihoods from it.
Need90%+Cameroonian rural households depend on agriculture (World Food Programme, 2023)
Livelihoods2.75M+Cameroonian households earn from agriculture (World Bank, 2023)
Yield Gap60%+Cameroon experiences over a 60% yield gap on most prominent crops
Regional Gap24–33%Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa achieve only 24–33% of attainable yields
Validation100+Farmers engaged in feasibility studies
Reach45Communities targeted
Scale10Cameroon regions in view
Vision 20351M+Farmers to be empowered by 2035
About SAMS
Built for farmers. Powered by data.
SAMS is a portable, solar-powered Smart Agricultural Monitoring System designed specifically for low-income farmers. While it can serve farmers in privileged communities, its core purpose is to make smart farming accessible to farmers who have limited income, limited electricity, poor internet access or only basic phones.
SAMS works through both a mobile application and USSD. This means farmers can receive real-time crop information, weather alerts and simple farming recommendations whether they use a smartphone or a basic mobile phone.
The Problem
Millions of Cameroonian farmers depend on agriculture, but still farm with little real-time information.
Climate uncertainty
Irregular temperature, humidity changes, unpredictable rainfall and unclear planting seasons damage crops.
Limited access
Many low-income farmers do not have reliable internet, smartphones or electricity to use existing digital tools.
Income pressure
When crop decisions are delayed or based on guesswork, yields fall and families lose income.
How SAMS Works
Simple technology. Clear farming action.
01
Place the kit
The farmer places the SAMS kit in the soil.
02
Collect data
Sensors measure soil and weather conditions.
03
Analyze
SAMS checks the data against crop needs.
04
Take action
The farmer receives recommendations through the app or USSD.
USSD Access
Smart farming guidance on any mobile phone.
No smartphone, data bundle, or app download is required. SAMS uses familiar USSD menus so farmers can request field information and receive clear recommendations from a basic phone.
Dial
Open the phone dialer and enter the SAMS USSD code.
Choose
Select a farm, crop, or field update from the simple menu.
Act
Receive a practical recommendation based on current farm data.
Works on basic phones
No mobile data needed
Fast, guided menus
Inside The Menu
One simple menu, seven practical services.
Farmers move from live field guidance to crop support and market access using familiar numbered choices.
Soil waterKnow when to irrigate
Weather alertsAct before harsh conditions
Kit batteryCheck solar power status
Farmer DoctorDescribe a crop problem
Guided helpUnderstand what SAMS offers
Mobile paymentSubscribe through mobile money
Find buyersChoose a crop for market access
Our Innovation
Designed for farmers who are usually left out of technology.
SAMS is not only a smart farming app. It is a complete access system built for low-income farmers, including those with basic phones, limited internet and unreliable electricity.
Offline-first Mobile App + USSD Technology
Farmers with smartphones can use the app, while farmers with basic phones can still access key data through USSD.
Clean solar-powered kit
The SAMS kit uses solar energy, making it practical for low-income and off-grid farming communities.
SAMS Farm Doctor
An AI-powered diagnostic tool that provides farmers with recommendations about their crops in English, French or Pidgin English
SAMS Marketplace & Community Feed
The SAMS App provides a platform for farmers to buy and sell agricultural products and connect with other farmers and farming cooperatives in their community.
Features
Everything a farmer needs to understand the field better.
Soil temperature
Tracks temperature conditions that affect crop growth.
Soil humidity
Helps farmers know when plants need water.
Soil pH
Supports better decisions on soil health.
Weather alerts
Gives farmers timely updates for planning.
USSD access
Allows farmers to receive crop data and alerts without internet.
AI recommendations
Turns farm data into simple advice.
Farmer learning
Offers practical training on crop care and SAMS usage.
Solar-powered kit
Supports farmers in communities with limited electricity.
App Experience
Learning, selling, buying, and community support in one farmer-first platform.
SDGs Addressed
SAMS supports sustainable farming and stronger communities.
Early Validation
How SAMS was developed and validated.
Prototype Development
Building the first SAMS prototype during the TechGirls Program at Virginia Tech University.
Technical Validation
Presenting the prototype and receiving feedback from technical experts and mentors.
Engaging 100+ farmers through feasibility studies and customer discovery activities.
Experience the SAMS Demo
Explore how SAMS gives farmers crop-specific recommendations and turns sensor data into simple farming decisions.
Open Demo App
Founder Story
From My Grandmother's Farm to Smart Farming.
I was raised by my grandmother, a subsistence farmer in Cameroon's Northwest Region. For us, agriculture was not a business. It was survival. Every planting season came with uncertainty. Would the rains come on time? Was the soil ready? Would the harvest be enough to feed the us and pay for my school fees? Like millions of smallholder farmers across Cameroon, my grandmother made critical farming decisions based on experience and instinct because she had no access to real-time agricultural information. As I grew older, I began to understand that the challenge was not a lack of hard work or knowledge. Farmers were doing everything they could with the limited resources available to them. The problem was that they were making important decisions without the data needed to make them confidently. Years later, during my TechGirls experience at Virginia Tech, I began exploring how technology could help address these challenges. That journey led to the creation of SAMS — the Smart Agricultural Monitoring System. SAMS combines solar-powered sensors, artificial intelligence, a mobile application, and USSD technology to help farmers access real-time information about their crops, even in communities with limited internet connectivity or electricity. I built SAMS because I know what it means when a family's livelihood depends on agriculture. I built it for farmers like my grandmother, whose resilience feeds communities every day but who are too often left behind by technology. Because no farmer should have to rely on guesswork when data can help them grow.
- Britney Moukoko, Founder
Team
Built by young African innovators.
Britney Moukoko
Founder & CEO
Britney Moukoko is a Cameroonian youth entrepreneur, social innovator, and Computer Engineering student with over six years of experience leading community-driven initiatives and developing technology solutions for sustainable development. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Bright Future Builders Initiative, which has impacted over 10,000 beneficiaries through education, digital skills training, livelihood, and community empowerment programs.
Recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership, Britney is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, a TechGirls alumna, and the first ever and youngest recipient of the Kuwa Women's Award from Cameroon. She has represented Cameroon on global platforms and has led multidisciplinary teams in designing and implementing technology-driven social innovations. As Founder and CEO of SAMS, she provides strategic leadership, oversees product development, builds partnerships, drives fundraising efforts, and guides the venture's long-term vision and expansion.
Romaric Lonfonyuy
Technical Lead
Software Engineer with over 7 years of experience in specializing in backend engineering, cloud systems, APIs, and scalable software architecture. He leads the development of the SAMS backend, AI integration, cloud infrastructure, and platform scalability.
Esoh Faith
Field Operations & Marketing Lead
Esoh Faith is a certified project manager and Mastercard foundation scholar with 5 years experience in designing and leading successful field outreaches across 15 communities in Cameroon. At SAMS, she coordinates farmer engagement, customer validation, product demonstrations, community partnerships, and market outreach. She ensures continuous feedback from farmers informs product improvement.
Strategic Advisor
Afopezi Moses
Strategic Advisor
Afopezi Moses is an award-winning agribusiness entrepreneur and innovation ecosystem leader with extensive experience building and scaling agricultural ventures across Cameroon. As the Founder and CEO of Agrifresh and a mentor to emerging entrepreneurs, he has supported numerous youth-led startups in business strategy, market development, and investment readiness. At SAMS, he provides strategic guidance on business growth, commercialization, partnerships, and long-term scaling, leveraging his deep expertise in agriculture and entrepreneurship.
Articles
News from the field.
Milestones, lessons, and stories from our work to make smart agriculture accessible to every farmer.
Featured story
SAMS Selected Among Seven Startups for the Mastercard Foundation Idea to Venture Award
We are proud to announce that SAMS has been selected as one of only seven startups in the Mastercard Foundation Idea to Venture Award—a significant milestone in our journey to build innovative solutions that empower smallholder farmers across Cameroon and beyond.
Read the full story
Event spotlight
SAMS Showcases Agricultural Innovation at the EU–Cameroon Business Week
SAMS joined entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and development partners to share how inclusive technology can transform agriculture and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
Read the full storyLet’s build smarter farms together.
Partner with SAMS to support low-income farmers with affordable, solar-powered, USSD-enabled and climate-smart agricultural technology.
Contact
Get in touch with SAMS
Socials
The Smart Agricultural Monitoring Systems