Growing off-grid solar energy in agriculture

An unstable climate, water scarcity, and energy demand are all compounding the threat of food insecurity. Particularly in off-grid, and climate-vulnerable regions, lack of energy access for essential agricultural use risks a breakdown in local and global food supply.

In Africa alone, there are 33 million smallholder farmers who contribute as much as 70% of the continent’s food supply. An economic powerhouse, agriculture accounts for up to 40% of GDP in countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

Despite this, every day, more than 240 million Africans endure hunger.

Alarmingly, it’s projected that global demand for food could rise by up to 60% by 2050. This would strain already limited energy and water resources even further.

To address this pressing global concern issue for current and future food security, GOGLA has worked across the East Africa region, collaborating on projects that tap into the potential of solar-powered productive use of renewable energy (PURE) for agriculture. In collaboration with Water and Energy for Food (WE4F), these projects have shown promising results.