The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have connected Kano irrigation farmers to financial support for acquiring solar-based irrigation technology to boost food production.
The institutes announced this intervention on Wednesday during a two-day Demand-Supply linkage workshop and field demonstrations of solar-based irrigation systems (SBIS) in Kano.
IWMI Senior Regional Researcher, Oke Adebayo, said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between farmers, equipment suppliers, and financial institutions to make modern irrigation technologies more accessible.
Adebayo explained that the program, implemented across Kano, Jigawa, and Gombe states, seeks to address one of farmers’ biggest challenges: limited access to financing for irrigation equipment.
He added that the engagement aims to identify and address barriers to acquiring irrigation equipment and to expand irrigation innovations nationwide.
“For some time now, we and our stakeholders in Nigeria have been working to scale solar irrigation solutions.
As the world faces climate change, Nigeria is no exception. We face challenges with the cost of fuel for pumping irrigation and domestic use.
Farmers find this particularly difficult, especially during dry seasons,” he said.
According to him, farmers can leverage solar irrigation technologies to improve dry season farming, reduce pumping costs, and adopt energy-efficient innovations for crop production.
IFPRI Country Director, Dr. Oliver Kirui, said they brought together farmers, suppliers, financial institutions, government agencies, and technical partners, emphasizing that each actor is vital for scaling solar irrigation.
“Solar irrigation technologies already exist, and research shows farmers see their value. The challenge is aligning demand and supply to make adoption feasible, affordable, and sustainable.
This workshop aims to move beyond research and create practical connections. We’ve gathered key players because their collaboration is essential to scaling solar irrigation,” Kirui explained.
Groundnut Association President Sadisu Ibrahim praised the initiative, describing it as a positive sign for small-scale farmers’ future.
Meanwhile, Chief Don Ekesiobl, Managing Director of Farm World Technologies Limited, a leading agro-equipment company, outlined criteria farmers must meet to access the equipment.
Representatives of financial institutions expressed willingness to provide financial solutions.
The workshop attracted farmers, agricultural experts, researchers, academics, and government officials from across the country.
