Kenya, Ethiopia to benefit from Solar Energy for Agriculture Project Phase II

Kenya and Ethiopia are set to benefit from a new regional initiative aimed at harnessing solar energy to strengthen food systems and boost climate resilience.

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has launched Phase II of the Solar Energy for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) project, expanding into East Africa after five years of work in South Asia.

The programme introduces a holistic approach to solar energy for sustainable agriculture, moving beyond irrigation to promote a wider range of applications such as solar-powered cold storage, dryers, milling and agro-processing. These technologies are expected to help farmers cut production costs, reduce post-harvest losses and create new income opportunities.

Kenya is considered a strategic entry point for the project, thanks to supportive frameworks such as Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), renewable energy policies and the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP). However, barriers remain in financing, technical skills, farmer awareness and gender inclusion.

“Kenya’s irrigation potential is 3.3 million acres, but only about 710,000 acres are under irrigation. With strong political will and an active private sector, we can reach NISIP’s target of one million acres by 2030. Coordinated action is now needed to bridge policy gaps, expand financing options and raise awareness among farmers,” said Eng. Vincent Kabuti, Irrigation Secretary at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.

SoLAR II will generate evidence to guide policies and investments, develop inclusive financing models, build capacity through training and cross-country collaboration, and test innovations through “living labs” where farmers and partners jointly design and adopt solar-powered solutions.

“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. “Through SoLAR II, we will work with governments, the private sector and communities to create the enabling environment for these technologies to thrive at scale.”

While solar pumping and irrigation remain the most mature and widely adopted technologies, experts say there is growing potential in broader applications.

“These solutions can be scaled and adapted to serve both smallholder farmers and commercial operations,” noted Walter Kiprono, GOGLA’s East Africa Regional Representative.

The project’s inception workshop in Nairobi brought together government officials, private sector players, farmer representatives, financiers, researchers and development partners to explore ways of aligning policies, expanding finance and strengthening capacity. Participants agreed that collaboration across sectors will be vital to accelerate adoption of solar technologies and make them sustainable.

By embedding solar energy solutions across farming and food systems, SoLAR II aims to support Kenya and Ethiopia in building agriculture that is climate-smart, socially inclusive and financially viable.