📋 Tender Overview
Solar agri-technologies have the potential to make smallholder based agri-food systems in South Asia and East Africa more socially just and responsive to climate change. To enable scaling of these technologies, SoLAR phase 2 will deliver tools and models to support policy making, leverage Swiss know-how to propose innovative financing mechanisms, and strengthen science, policy and practice collaboration for water-energy-food nexus gains.
Country/region Topic Period Budget
SouthAsiaregional
Climate change and environment
Water
Agriculture & food security
Renewable energy generation
Water resources conservation
Agricultural water resources
01.06.2025 - 31.12.2028
CHF 4’600’000
The project in brief
Background With 500,000 installations in the last decade, solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) are curtailing the carbon footprint of agri-food systems across South Asia. Assured irrigation also enhances farmer resilience and food security. But the uptake of SIPs is truncated by systemic challenges: prohibitive costs impede inclusive access; and potential to trigger negative water-energy-food (WEF) nexus loops, such as over-extraction of groundwater. Further, there is a lack of experience in bundling SIPs with solar agri-technologies like cold storages, dryers, grinders, agri-voltaics, to strengthen the agri-food systems and enhance financial viability of solar deployment. In East Africa, adoption of solar agri-tech, including SIPs, is in a nascent stage. SoLAR aims to contribute to just energy transition by unlocking policies and investment, testing WEF positive solar agri-tech bundles and facilitating South-South exchange.
Objectives To strengthen the enabling environment and unlock investments for the promotion of socially inclusive solar energy systems for agriculture to support government efforts to combat climate change and strengthen the agri-food systems in South Asia (Bangladesh and India) and East Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya).
Target groups The target group includes the public and private sector organizations and farmers. Formulation and adoption of solar agri-tech policies and projects, will benefit 50’000 farming households (300’000 individuals), with at least 30% from vulnerable groups including women and small and marginal farmers.
Medium-term outcomes Outcome 1- Evidence-based policy design: Policymakers integrate water-energy-food interlinkages, in a socially inclusive manner, to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of solar agri-tech programs. Outcome 2- Accelerating finance: Climate-smart and socially inclusive financing solutions for scaling solar agri-tech are co-developed and launched. Outcome 3- Capacity building: Strengthened knowledge, capacities and south-south collaboration leads to greater uptake of solar agri-tech applications. Outcome 4- Solar Scaling through Living Labs: Existing platforms and living labs are assesed and optimized for scaling inclusive solar agri-tech bundles and innovations.
Results Expected re
