By: Mabel Adorkor Annang
The demand for solar-powered pumps among farmers for irrigation is rapidly increasing in Ghana, representing a market demand of about 2.2 billion dollars.
Deputy Director of Power, Renewable Energy at the Energy Ministry, Mr. Seth Mahu said this at COP28 in Dubai during a Panel discussion on solar applications in agriculture and the potential impact on rural life and livelihoods.
In the last decade, solar technology adoption in rural Africa has surged. The use of Solar-powered pumps, lighting, dryers, and cold chains have increased in various regions.
To boost solar action in large-scale farming, Ghana introduced the Private Sector Sustainability Energy Action Programme, deploying solar in megawatt capacity for large irrigation schemes.
Deputy Director of Renewable Energy at Ghana’s Energy Ministry, Mr. Seth Mahu, said emission savings through solar for irrigation purposes can be monetized for further investment, particularly for a just transition.
“This program is looking at deploying renewable energy, we provide electricity for a large irrigation scheme. Over here. We will install solar systems in megawatt capacity and this is used to drive huge pumps that are able to push water into gravity deferred canals. That send water to farmers that need it the most” Mr. Mahu said.
The Principal Portfolio Management Specialist of Agriculture in rural areas at the Agricultural Development Bank Mr. Lance Gore said addressing the financial concerns is critical to ensuring the success of solar irrigation projects.
“The cost is too great just for governments to pick up on their own. It is too great for other financing agencies to also do. I think the opportunities there lies with the local commercial banks. They need to become comfortable with the new business models and that is where an opportunity work with us local commercial banks and the local private sector. If the local private sector can get access to reasonable financing terms, then this should be a business model in every community.” Mr. Lance Gore added.
Chief of Staff at IKEA foundation Amanda Coady identified lack of knowledge sharing as a gap for farmers in adopting solar technology.
Amanda Coady said “we need to learn from those who came before and we need to make sure that there’s a transfer ad shared opinion. The second is collaboration and in a very specific context, we need people from across sectors; from France, from private sectors, from governments to help us to test more models. So, group ownership of certain asserts, irrigation as a service, financing models, market linkages. We need people to come over and help us test these models and solutions so we ca show what works.”
