About Powering Agriculture
Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development supports the development and deployment of clean energy innovations that increase agriculture productivity and stimulate low carbon economic growth in the agriculture sector of developing countries to help end extreme poverty and extreme hunger.
Over April 13–26, PAEGC visited 11 of iDE’s SunFlower solar pumps installed in five plain regions of Nepal. PAEGC conducted interviews with farmers using the SunFlower pumps for irrigation, as well as various stakeholders in the pump supply chain, including an agricultural cooperative and a future pump retailer.
One of the farmers using the solar pump reported increased income that has allowed for purchase of household items and payment of school fees, and an improved diet as a result of better vegetable production and consumption. Improved household sanitation was also observed, as the access to water from the pump has led to more frequent flushing of the toilet.
In cooperation with University of Ostfalia in Germany, GIZ has developed an e-learning course on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems. The course will increase knowledge and understanding of SPIS technologies and their adaptability to a variety of farming, cropping, and irrigation systems. The free online course will run June18-July 30, 2019. Registration closes on May 30, 2019.
iDE uses a market-based approach to make technologies for better agriculture more readily available to farmers in developing countries. A great example is Powering Agriculture Innovator Futurepump, a business that iDE helped create. Their Sunflower Pump is successful in several developing markets.
Powering Agriculture Innovators iDE and Futurepump are both examples of impact investing, which Iain Hunter, CEO of iDE, says can be a game changer in the renewables sector and in environmental projects. He suggests that businesses can "future-proof" themselves by investing in renewables.
Over April 13–26, PAEGC visited 11 of iDE’s SunFlower solar pumps installed in five plain regions of Nepal. PAEGC interviewed farmers using the SunFlower pumps for irrigation, as well as various stakeholders in the pump supply chain, including an agricultural cooperative and a future pump retailer.