Agri-solar technology is a game changer for the smallholder farmers transformation and rural livelihood. Within the East Africa region that experiences climate variability, food shortage and pockets of hunger, Agri-solar technology presents potential solutions to drought resilient irrigation and post-harvest losses-transforming food security landscape. Agri-solar technology could reduce the dependency on costly and unreliable diesel-powered fossils while expanding energy access to underserved areas. However, the adoption of this technology remains low due to several persistent factors. High upfront costs, inadequate financial capacity, shortage of technicians, weak policy support, and unclear regulatory frameworks continue to deter both private sector investment and smallholder uptake, remaining key barriers to the adoption of Agri-solar technologies. Also, fragmented coordination among stakeholders, poor market linkages and farmers risk on theft and poor quality of products further hinder uptake. Fragmented coordination among the stakeholders, inadequate market linkages coupled with equipment theft and poor-quality products further complicate the scale up of Agri-solar solutions.
Despite these challenges, there has been significant progress through innovative financing, pilot projects and demonstration platforms. Yet, these efforts are insufficient to unlock the full potential of Agri-solar solutions for sustainable agricultural transformation in the region. Absence of clear and targeted policy frameworks continues to create uncertainty among the investors. Private sector investments are prone to perception of high risks due to limited subsidies and inconsistent regulations, while farmers struggle with affordability and inadequate technical capacity. Further, lack of harmonized standards across the region coupled with fragmented regional frameworks and weak institutional coordination have further obstructed the implementation and adoption of Agri-solar technology.
With the potential of Agri-solar transforming pathway for agricultural resilience in East Africa, there is need to scale up its adoption. Governments in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania should harmonize energy, agriculture and water policies to create integrated framework that supports widespread adoption of Agri-solar technologies. Additionally, development partners, financial institutions and government can enhance inclusive financing through simple and standard blended models complemented with leasing in the region. Also, collaborating with vocational institutions to support rural technical capacity. Regional bodies like EAC should standardize equipment service certifications for technicians in the region while supporting cross-border labor mobility and trade through coordinated tests and certification programs. Consequently, a phased road map, multi-stakeholder coordination and robust monitoring framework is crucial for mainstreaming Agri-solar into national plans.
Agrisolar_Policy_Position_Paper_
