Etenesh Asro, a farmer in Ethiopia, uses a solar-powered pump to draw groundwater for irrigating her crops. Photo: Maheder Haileselassie/IWMI The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Ethiopian Solar Energy Development Association (ESEDA) signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on November 21, 2025, to advance solar-powered irrigation systems…
A field visit to on solar irrigation systems as part of the hands-on training for KVK scientists, highlighting system operation, maintenance, and farmer outreach under the PM-KUSUM scheme. Photo: Tanmoy Bhaduri/IWMI Across India’s farmlands, irrigation is emerging as a key driver of agricultural resilience in a changing climate. Today, irrigation supports…
Researchers and policy makers from Kenya and Ethiopia examine the solar irrigation pump site at Kevlari village in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh. Photo: Tanmoy Bhaduri/IWMI Under the sharp winter sun in the remote village of Chimkatola, India, Pushpa Devi stands beside a humming solar-powered rice mill as she explains to…
A farmer opens the water connection pipe to flood his paddy field in Thakurgaon, Bangladesh. The irrigation, supported by a Solar Irrigation Pump (SIP) installed by IDCOL and its partner organization, helps ensure timely water access and improved crop productivity. Photo: Tanmoy Bhaduri/IWMI Solar-powered irrigation systems are increasingly promoted…
By scaling solar energy use for agriculture and promoting water-efficient practices, the initiative responds to climate and energy challenges facing smallholder farmers. By Pratistha Parasher and Tripti Agarwal Participants at the India Inception Meeting for Phase II of the SoLAR project, held in…
By Yonas Tafesse, Amare Haileslassie, Wolde Mekuria, Elizabeth Wamba Agriculture is more than an economic sector in Ethiopia — it is the lifeline of the country. More than 15 million smallholder farmers produce close to 95% of the country’s agricultural output. Their work sustains national food security, supports rural incomes and contributes significantly to economic stability.…
By Tanmoy Bhaduri, Gulshan Borah Agriculture is quietly transforming across rural India — and women are at its heart. As men migrate in search of work due to climate stress, shrinking farm returns and industrial jobs, women are stepping in to manage farms, livestock and households. This feminization of agriculture has been unfolding for years…
By Tanmoy Bhaduri Sumi Mardi from Dinajpur, Bangladesh, explains that because of delayed monsoons, farmers in the region have turned to groundwater irrigation to sustain their livelihoods. Photo: Tanmoy Bhaduri/IWMI As climate change intensifies, Bangladesh’s farmers face the brunt of increasingly unpredictable weather, from prolonged summers to delayed monsoons. Nearly half…
| By IWMI The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), launched the Solar Energy for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) project in Ethiopia and Kenya. The project builds on five years of successful work in South Asia, where it proved that solar-powered…
By Tanmoy Bhaduri Women farmers in Kayumer Char, Gaibandha in northern Bangladesh, lead their cattle home against the backdrop of a movable micro-solar irrigation pump. Photo: Tanmoy Bhaduri / IWMI The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has launched the second phase of the Solar Energy for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) project. Running from…
