Women’s cooperative uses solar energy to operate borehole for market garden in Mauritania. Photo: Raphael Pouget/Climate Visuals
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.
Partners :
SunCulture Kenya –
SunCulture is Kenya’s leading provider of smart solar irrigation, with Pay-As-You-Grow financing models and comprehensive farmer support.
GOGLA – GOGLA is working in Kenya to accelerate Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) by supporting a sustainable industry ecosystem through three strategic pillars: convening stakeholders, influencing policy & finance, and informing members with data/standards
Agri-Energy Coalition – The Agri-Energy– Coalition is a global alliance of partners working on energy, water, agriculture, nutrition, climate and finance; created to unlock the potential of agri-food systems with clean energy.
FuturePump, Kenya
FuturePump designs and manufactures solar water pumps tailored to the needs of small farms, driving fuel-free irrigation innovation.
CLASP, Kenya
CLASP advances clean energy appliance markets and capacity, supporting end-user education and efficient solar equipment deployment.
Strathmore University, Kenya –
Strathmore University creates training curricula, builds capacity for solar systems installation and maintenance, and supports research on solar’s impact in agriculture.
National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Kenya
NIA develops and implements Kenya’s irrigation schemes, ensuring national reach and technical expertise for SoLAR’s irrigation scale-up.
State Department of Irrigation (SDI) – Under the new National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP), SDI is prioritizing Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID), in which solar pumping is a central component.
Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), Kenya
REREC powers Kenya’s rural renewable energy programs, including off-grid solar access for agriculture.
