Food
Solution by: SunCulture Kenya
Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation for Smallholders SunCulture designs and sells solar-powered irrigation systems and agricultural extension services that make it cheaper and easier for farmers in Kenya to grow high-value fresh fruits and vegetables.
TE C LI M A IT F E BEN
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ENVIRONMENTAL SunCulture reports that switching to its drip irrigation method results in water savings of up to 80%.
ECONOMIC SunCulture claims that the cumulative average benefit to the farmer is $13,947 per acre annually due to increased yields as well as petrol, labor, and input cost savings.
THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
SOCIAL Farmers, many of them women, stand to benefit most from increased incomes and labor savings.
“The world’s 450 million smallholder farmers, most of whom live in the developing world, must adapt new technologies to keep up with growing food demands.” SAMIR IBRAHIM, CEO SUNCULTURE KENYA LIMITED
DEVELOPED IN ... DEPLOYED IN ...
KENYA
1 International Water Management Institute. “The Changing Face of Irrigation in Kenya.” Report. 2002.
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SUSTAINIA100
SunCulture’s solar-powered drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to crop roots, resulting in yield gains of up to 300% and water savings of up to 80%, according to the company. Over 250 systems have been installed in Kenya, with a payback period of one three-month growing season based on fuel, fertilizer, and labor savings in addition to increased crop yields. To increase access, SunCulture also offers various payment options, including a financing scheme in partnership with Equity Bank. Apart from the drip irrigation system, SunCulture also provides other services to improve the capacity and competitiveness of smallscale farmers. These services include soil and water analysis, crop type recommendations, onsite technical support and installation, and access to new markets. WHY A SUSTAINIA100 SOLUTION? More than 80% of Kenya experiences low and unpredictable rainfall. Farmers are therefore unable to rely on rain-fed agriculture to meet their subsistence needs.1 Although diesel and treadle pumps are available in the market, the effectiveness of these technologies is constrained by high fuel costs and labor inefficiencies. SunCulture’s system relies on a renewable energy source that can sustainably provide more reliable livelihoods for famers.
SunCulture replaces diesel-powered generators with solar panels to enable water savings through drip irrigation.