East Africa – Our mission at TomorrowNow is to bring next-gen weather services to African communities at the frontlines of climate change BUT we cannot achieve scale and impact by working alone.
This is why we partner with breakthrough weather technology companies and R&D organizations to localize and open source data for African farmers while building public capacity and facilitating multistakeholder collaborations to sustain relevant weather services.
Critical to our mission is our partnership with US-based weathertech company Tomorrow.io, which is pioneering AI-backed approaches to weather and climate security.
By working together, we are ensuring that next-gen weather technologies become accessible and relevant to African communities in helping them achieve climate resilience through increased food production and improved incomes.
Bridging the Global Weather Gap
Our current partnership with Tomorrow.io is focused on harnessing the power of private sector-led weather tech and tools focused on improving the accuracy and usefulness of weather data in Africa.
Here’s why we have partnered with Tomorrow.io:
Pioneering AI-Backed Weather Tech:
Tomorrow.io is at the forefront of the next-generation weather forecasting revolution.
At AMS 2025, also attended by TomorrowNow, the company announced that their NextGen Forecasting platform is now delivering satellite-based global coverage (2.5km resolution, updated every 5 minutes), dramatically reducing radar blind spots—including those in data-sparse regions.
With a 10% improvement in precipitation forecast accuracy and an additional 30 minutes of warning time, their technology is transforming how industries—from aviation to supply chain—manage weather-related risks. Learn more
The Real Differentiator:
As emphasized by CEO Shimon Elkabetz, “Models are commodities; data is the true differentiator.”, Tomorrow.io’s proprietary satellite constellation underpins this philosophy, providing the granular, real-time data necessary for actionable insights.
The company’s commitment to data excellence not only enhances forecasting precision but also ensures that their weather & climate solutions remain robust and adaptable across diverse geographic and operational contexts.
Resilience & Innovation:
Resilience Now, offers an in-depth look at Tomorrow.io’s journey to revolutionize weather forecasting, underscoring both the company’s technological breakthroughs and the tangible benefits for society.
Tomorrow Doc Resilience Now Trailer.mp4
Watch the documentary here: https://www.tomorrow.io/resiliencenow/
Strategic Engagements & Forward Momentum:
At AMS 2025, Tomorrow.io demonstrated how their satellite innovations and AI-powered forecasting are paving the way for more resilient communities.
Localizing Breakthrough Weathertech for Africa
Localizing weather technology for Africa is essential due to the continent’s unique climate challenges, economic dependencies, and infrastructure realities.
Weather variability & Africa’s sparse meteorological infrastructure
Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing extreme weather events such as droughts and floods with increasing frequency.
However, global weather models often lack the resolution needed to accurately capture local climate patterns.
Furthermore, this challenge is compounded by the continent’s sparse meteorological infrastructure that undermines access to high quality weather data and services.
To help solve this, TomorrowNow & Tomorrow.io have conducted partnership activities to improve the accuracy of weather datasets while enabling access to high-quality, analysis-ready weather & climate data for smallholder farming applications in Africa through a Global Access Platform.
By creating localized weather services, communities and governments can better prepare for these climate shocks, reducing economic losses and saving lives.
This is why our impact at TomorrowNow is anchored on the principle of pairing cutting-edge technology with farmer-centric approaches to drive sustainable, community-driven solutions.
60% of Africa’s population relies on rain-fed farming
Traditional weather prediction services often depend on models designed for temperate regions, which fail to capture Africa’s diverse microclimates.
To help improve agricultural productivity and farmer resilience in East Africa, TomorrowNow leveraged Gates Foundation funding to partner with Tomorrow.io in capaciting the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to deliver the largest agromet advisory program in Africa.
Together, we are reaching 5 million smallholder farmers with actionable, weekly advisories delivered by SMS and powered by Tomorrow.io’s 4km localized weather data & best agronomic practices.
“I have just received an alert that it’s going to rain tomorrow. Since joining this agroweather advisory programme, I can farm confidently and generate more income to secure my children’s future through education.”
– Farmer Stephen, Machakos County, Kenya.
Beneficiaries of the program, represented by 53% female and 25% youth farmers, have since reported better growing seasons, higher crop germination rates and lower incidence of pest & disease.
The impact of our partnership with Tomorrow.io was celebrated in a documentary by The Economist and spotlighted by the American media organization NPR.
NPR Radio Interview: https://www.npr.org/2024/10/05/nx-s1-5131439/text-messages-are-helping-african-farmers-with-their-production
NPR Article: https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/10/21/g-s1-27810/climate-change-weather-app-farm
The Bottomline
Localized weather technology has a profound economic impact across Africa, particularly in agriculture, energy, and disaster resilience.
Smallholder farmers, who rely on rain-fed farming, benefit from precise weather forecasts that help them plan planting and harvesting, reducing crop losses and increasing yields.
Similarly, hydroelectric and solar energy companies depend on accurate weather data for efficient power generation, ensuring stable energy supply and reducing outages.
Beyond agriculture and energy, localized weather data supports transportation, public health, and financial services.
By expanding access to accurate, localized weather data, African countries can strengthen climate resilience, enhance economic opportunities, and build a more sustainable future.
Post 2030, TomorrowNow and partners, including Tomorrow.io, aim to have proven the value of tech & partnerships and reduced costs to the point where the 100M farmer ecosystem can thrive independent of philanthropy.
Learn more about our work:
