Kenya is an important country for SoLAR Phase 2 in East Africa, where solar irrigation is seen as a promising way to improve agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers. The team has ongoing work with the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), along with private companies such as SunCulture Kenya and FuturePump which will be built upon through solar phase 2.
Phase 2 activities include piloting inclusive financing models for solar irrigation, carrying out impact and feasibility studies, and building the skills of extension workers and community trainers. Living lab pilots are testing packages of solar technologies, for example pairing solar pumps with solar dryers and cold storage, to help farmers increase their incomes and strengthen their resilience to climate impacts.
The project also takes part in national forums and discussions to support knowledge sharing and to align its work with Kenya’s irrigation and clean energy goals. These efforts aim to develop solar irrigation approaches that can be scaled and adapted across sub–Saharan Africa.