NAIROBI, Kenya – A new regional programme is set to accelerate the use of solar power in farming and food production across East Africa, with the aim of cutting post-harvest losses, lowering production costs and opening up new income opportunities for smallholder farmers.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), backed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), on Wednesday unveiled the second phase of its Solar Energy for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR II) initiative in Kenya and Ethiopia.
The programme builds on five years of work in South Asia and takes a broader approach to solar energy beyond irrigation, by promoting its use in cold storage, food drying, milling and agro-processing.
Experts say these applications could transform food systems in the region, where climate shocks and rising costs have put farmers under increasing strain.
Kenya has been identified as a key entry point due to its enabling policies, including Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), and the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP).
Still, financing gaps, limited technical capacity and low farmer awareness remain significant hurdles.
“Kenya’s irrigation potential is 3.3 million acres, yet only about 710,000 acres are currently under irrigation,” said Eng. Vincent Kabuti, Irrigation Secretary at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. “What is needed now is coordinated action to bridge policy gaps, expand financing options and raise awareness among farmers.”
IWMI said SoLAR II will focus on four pillars: generating evidence to guide decision-making, unlocking finance through models such as a proposed Solar4Africa fund, building capacity with special emphasis on women farmers, and validating business models through “living labs” that allow local innovations to be tested and scaled.
“Solar energy has the potential to transform food systems, making them more sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient,” said Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata, IWMI’s Director of Water, Growth and Inclusion.
The launch brought together senior government officials, private sector players, researchers, farmer representatives and financiers, who discussed how to align policies and expand access to solar technologies.
With East Africa facing recurring droughts, power shortages and rising energy costs, officials and development partners say solar-powered solutions could play a central role in building agricultural resilience.
