Agriculture
Keeping The Water Flowing: Ethiopia’s Farmers Turn To Solar
The Reporter · last week · Read the Full Story on The Reporter
AI SUMMARY
SNV has launched the Horti-LIFE Green Growth Programme in Ethiopia to introduce solar-powered irrigation and renewable energy technologies to help farmers overcome recurring fuel shortages and pump breakdowns.
- Dereje Teha, a farmer in Dasenech Woreda, relies on an irrigation pump that frequently breaks down, highlighting the need for a reliable energy source.
- Alugna Data, a kebele administrator and farmer, noted that fuel shortages prevent farmers from pumping enough water and cause farmland to dry out.
- Bade Baroncho invested 86,000 birr in a fuel-powered generator and spends about 3,000 birr weekly on fuel and transport, expressing readiness to switch to solar.
- Matiyos Mulatu stated that fuel prices of around 500 birr per litre directly impact agricultural productivity and farmers' incomes.
- SNV officially launched the Horti-LIFE Green Growth Programme in Addis Ababa on September 15, 2026, incorporating the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE).
- Co-funded by the European Union and the Netherlands, the initiative introduces solar water pumps, solar cold storage, biodigesters, and solar drying systems.
- The new phase aims to reach 500,000 households, provide PURE integration to 30,000 households, train 50,000 farmers, and avoid 19,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
- A PURE landscape assessment identified high upfront costs, financing constraints, and accessibility as major barriers to widespread adoption.
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