Solar power can be used for irrigation, cold storage, drying, milling, and agro-processing. It can help smallholder farmers reduce energy costs, manage climate risks and create new income opportunities. But to reach scale and sustainability, solar technology and technical knowledge alone are not enough. Consider a farmer interested in solar…
Key stakeholders in agriculture and irrigation including government authorities, private sector and non-profit institutions during a high-level consultative workshop to validate the national scaling plan for 2026-2028 held in March in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: Rahel Mesganaw/IWMI Ethiopia has been harnessing its reputed 13 months of sunshine to ensure water access for…
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…
