Scaling solar based irrigation: Learning from public and private sector initiatives

Brief Description

Initiatives to scale solar powered irrigation systems (SPIS) throughout Africa and Asia are expanding rapidly. SPIS are seen as a cost-effective, sustainable and renewable energy solution to support water lifting for irrigation and hence food security. Whilst governments in some countries have embraced the benefits of SPIS and initiated subsidy programs to support adoption others have taken a more cautious approach, concerned about over exploitation of water resources as the marginal cost of lifting water becomes zero. The private sector has invested in new technical innovations and financial mechanisms to increase farmer accessibility and water use efficiency. If SPIS is to fulfil the expectation of a climate-smart irrigation solution, it is important to integrate sustainable water management solutions within the SPIS scaling initiatives. This session brings together the public, private, NGO and research sector from Morocco to Indonesia. It provides an interactive platform for participants to discuss successes and challenges in on- and off grid SPIS initiatives which integrate technical, financial or institutional solutions to support climate-smart scaling.

Session Objectives

Understanding of technical innovations and financial instruments designed to ensure inclusive and equitable access to solar powered irrigation
Understanding of technical or institutional innovations to safeguard water resources whilst scaling solar based irrigation
Exchange of challenges and opportunities resulting from scaling of integrated solar based innovations in different contexts and across sectors
Identification of key next research questions related to integrated on-off grid solar solutions to support agricultural transformation

The session will follow an interactive world café format where the panel members will pitch their interventions followed by an interactive discussion and a final plenary session bringing together the next set of research needs around solar based irrigation:

Part I: 20 min where panel members pitch their approach,
Part II: 50 min interactive discussion where participants rotated among groups led by panel members (4*12 min)
Part III: 15 min interactive session where participants submit research questions and participate in a live poll
Concluding remarks 5 min

Panel members – World Café cases/’stations’:

Macben Makenzi, GIZ Powering Agriculture (East Africa);
Toby Hammond, Future pump (UK: covering Africa and Asia);
Balaram Thapa, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) (Nepal)
Alok Sikka and Shilp Verma, IWMI (Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan)

Concluding remark:

Andrew Campbell, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

Scaling solar based irrigation: Learning from public and private sector initiativesDay 2 – 9th Oct | 17:00 – 18:30Frangipani room

Brief Description

Session Objectives

Chairperson/Moderator

Rapporteur

Short Agenda and Proposed Speakers

Organizing Partners