Key points
- IWMI and IFPRI connect Kano farmers to financial support for solar irrigation systems.
- Initiative targets Kano, Jigawa and Gombe farmers to improve dry season farming.
- Programme bridges gap between farmers, equipment suppliers and financial institutions.
- Solar irrigation seen as solution to rising fuel costs and climate pressures.
- Stakeholders express support for scaling affordable irrigation technologies.
Main Story
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have linked irrigation farmers in Kano State to financial support aimed at enabling the adoption of solar-based irrigation technology to boost food production.
The intervention was unveiled on Wednesday during a two-day demand-supply linkage workshop and field demonstrations on solar-based irrigation systems (SBIS) in Kano, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Senior Regional Researcher at IWMI, Oke Adebayo, said the programme is designed to bridge the gap between farmers, equipment suppliers and financial institutions, with the goal of improving access to modern irrigation technology. He said the initiative, which also covers Jigawa and Gombe states, seeks to address persistent financing constraints that limit farmers’ ability to invest in irrigation equipment, particularly for dry season farming.
Adebayo noted that rising fuel costs and the impacts of climate change have made conventional irrigation increasingly expensive for farmers. He explained that solar-powered irrigation offers a more sustainable alternative that can reduce operating costs and improve productivity, especially for smallholder farmers.
The Country Director of IFPRI, Dr Oliver Kirui, said the workshop was convened to strengthen practical linkages between stakeholders and move beyond research findings into real-world adoption. He said that while solar irrigation technologies already exist and are valued by farmers, the key challenge remains ensuring that financing, supply chains and farmer demand are effectively connected to enable widespread uptake.
Kirui added that bringing together farmers, suppliers, financial institutions and government agencies is critical to scaling adoption in a sustainable way.
In a similar vein, the President of the Groundnut Association, Sadisu Ibrahim, commended the initiative, describing it as a positive step for smallholder farmers and agricultural development.
Representatives of irrigation equipment suppliers outlined the requirements farmers must meet to access the technology, while financial institutions expressed readiness to support farmers with appropriate financing solutions.
The Issues
- High cost of fuel for irrigation pumping
- Limited access to financing for farm equipment
- Climate change pressure on dry season agriculture
- Weak adoption pathways for solar irrigation technologies
- Need for stronger farmer–finance–supplier linkages
What’s Being Said
- IWMI researcher, Oke Adebayo: “For some time now, we and our stakeholders in Nigeria have been working towards scaling solar irrigation solutions.”
- Oke Adebayo: “We have challenges with the cost of fuel for pumping for irrigation and even for home use.”
- IFPRI Country Director, Dr Oliver Kirui: “Solar irrigation technologies already exist, and our research shows that farmers see their value.”
What’s Next
- Expansion of solar irrigation adoption across Kano, Jigawa and Gombe
- Increased collaboration between farmers, suppliers and financial institutions
- Scaling of climate-smart irrigation technologies nationwide
- Potential replication of the model in other agricultural zones
Bottom Line
The initiative positions solar irrigation as a key climate-smart solution for Nigerian farmers, but its success will depend on financing access, adoption support and coordinated implementation across stakeholders.
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