Solar Powered Irrigation

Solar Powered Irrigation

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Solar Powered Irrigation
Solar Powered Irrigation
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SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Food and Beverage
Food and Agriculture
Business Model Description

Construct and maintain solar powered irrigation systems for farmers in order to increase the length of the growing season and improve productivity and income. The target group is mostly agricultural processors who would provide the systems to farmers in order to secure and improve their supply and thus generate revenue, but farmers could potentially buy their own systems as well if they had access to microloans or could get the systems on a pay as you go basis or similar.

Expected Impact

Increase farmer productivity and income, mitigate against the negative impacts of climate change, and achieve a positive result on renewable energy availability within the country.

How is this information gathered?
Updated: 27 Nov, 2023
Sierra Leone
Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
15% - 20% (in IRR)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
> USD 1 billion
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Zero Hunger (SDG 2) Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Climate Action (SDG 13) Gender Equality (SDG 5)

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Sector Sources
  • 1) International Monatery Fund. 2022. Sierra Leone: 2022 Article IV Consultation and Fifth Review. Accessed from: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/07/29/Sierra-Leone-2022-Article-IV-Consultation-and-Fifth-Review-under-the-Extended-Credit-521569 2) International Trade Administration. 2021. Sierra Leone - Country Commercial Guide. Accessed from: https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/sierra-leone-market-overview 3) Government of Sierra Leone. 2019. Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019 - 2023. Accessed from: https://www.slurc.org/uploads/1/0/9/7/109761391/sierra_leone_national_development_plan.pdf 4) Government of Sierra Leone. 2021. Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Accessed from: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/NDC/2022-06/210804%202125%20SL%20NDC%20%281%29.pdf 5) Government of Sierra Leone. 2022. Customary Land Rights Act. Accessed from https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/sie212374.pdf 6) Food and Agriculture Organisation. 2018. Country Gender Assessment Series: National gender profile of agriculture and rural livelihoods, Sierra Leone. Accessed from: https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I9554EN/ 7) National Agricultural Transformation. Strategy 2019-2023. Please note, Ministry website has been offline. Accessed information indirectly via: https://www.investinginsierraleone.com/agriculture-and-fisheries/#:~:text=In%20light%20of%20rises%20in,of%20Sierra%20Leone's%20economic%20development. 8) Food and Agriculture Organisation. Website. https://www.fao.org/sierra-leone/programmes-and-projects/ru/
IOA Sources
  • 9) Food and Agriculture Organisation. 2018. Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey. Accessed from: https://www.fao.org/3/cc0136en/cc0136en.pdf 10) World Bank website. Accessed from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=SL 11) USAID. Solar Water Pump (SWP) Return on Investment. Case Study. Accessed from: https://winrock.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Winrock-KSSI-Shadrack-ROI-Case-Study.pdf 12) USAID. 2022. Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Programme. Accessed from: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00Z9P4.pdf 13) Energy Monitor. 2023. Farmers in Africa need better information to adopt solar irrigation. Accessed from: https://www.energymonitor.ai/tech/renewables/farmers-in-africa-need-better-information-to-adopt-solar-pumps/ 14) Persistent. 2023. Is it time for a solar receivables finco? Accessed from: https://persistent.energy/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Persistent_April-2023_Is-it-Time-for-a-Solar-Receivables-Finco-1.pdf 15) PFAN. West Africa Forum for Climate & Clean Energy Financing Project Snapshots. Accessed from: https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Generic-Documents/WAFCCEF-3_Project_Snapshots.pdf 16) WFP. 2021. Solar water irrigation Energy access for sustainable agriculture. Accessed from: https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000133143/download/?_ga=2.193818605.1726466739.1680783944-356238895.1680783944 17) Lighting Global. 2022. Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2022: State of the Sector. Accessed from: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099235110062231022/pdf/P175150063801e0860928f00e7131b132de.pdf 18) Facebook page for Auto Smart Irrigation. Accessed from: https://www.facebook.com/yaahosman/ 19) Africa Clean Energy. 2021. Stand Alone Solar (SAS) Market Update Sierra Leone. Accessed from: https://www.ace-taf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Stand-Alone-Solar-SAS-Market-Update-Sierra-Leone.pdf 20) Birhanu et al. 2023. Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali. Accessed from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1085335/full 21) IWMI. 2018. Business Model Scenarios and Suitability: Smallholder Solar Pump-based Irrigation in Ethiopia. Accessed from: https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/PDF/pub172/rr172.pdf 22) Energy Monitor. 2023. Farmers in Africa need better information to adopt solar irrigation. Accessed from: https://www.energymonitor.ai/tech/renewables/farmers-in-africa-need-better-information-to-adopt-solar-pumps/ 23) World Population Review. 2023. Accessed from: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-income-by-country 24) GGGI website. 2019. Is solar irrigation set to take over Africa? Accessed from: https://gggi.org/is-solar-irrigation-set-to-take-over-africa/ 25) Energy Catalyst. Aptech Africa: Pay-n-Pump brings affordable solar-powered irrigation within reach for small-scale African farmers. Accessed from: https://energycatalyst.ukri.org/case-studies/aptech-africa-pay-n-pump-brings-affordable-solar-powered-irrigation-within-reach-for-small-scale-african-farmers/ 26) GOGLA. 2020. Powering Opportunity in West Africa. Accessed from: https://www.gogla.org/sites/default/files/resource_docs/powering_opportunity_west_africa_eng_0.pdf 27) IRENA. 2022. Off-grid renewable energy statistics 2022. Accessed from: https://mc-cd8320d4-36a1-40ac-83cc-3389-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2022/Dec/IRENA_Off-grid_Renewable_Energy_Statistics_2022.pdf?rev=f5e766b46ab742f2b6f34312e3036382 28) IWMI. 2010. Irrigation in West Africa: Current Status and a View to the Future. Accessed from: https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Other/PDF/iwmi_workshop_proceedings-irrigation_in_west_africa-_current_status_and_a_view_to_the_future.pdf 29) ApTech Africa website. Accessed from: https://aptechafrica.com/ 30) Word Bank Website. Accessed from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SN.ITK.DEFC.ZS?locations=SL 31) Our World in Data Website. Accessed from: https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/sierra-leone#what-are-the-country-s-annual-co2-emissions 32) World Bank Website. Accessed from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=SL 33) SLIEPA Website. Available incentives in Sierra Leone. Accessed from: https://www.sliepa.gov.sl/invest-in-sierra-leone/all-incentives 34) Emmanuel S. Gbakie, Brima Kamara and Patrick A.F. Dumbuya. 2017. New Rural Finance Institutions in Sierra Leone. Accessed from: https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/97182/EC3_Gbakie.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 35) EEP Africa. https://eepafrica.org/ 36) SGP The GEF Small Grants Programme Website. Accessed from: https://sgp.undp.org/spacial-itemid-projects-landing-page/spacial-itemid-project-search-results/spacial-itemid-project-detailpage.html?view=projectdetail&id=21584 37) World Bank website. Accessed from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2023/03/10/small-grants-yield-big-wins-for-women-farmers-in-sierra-leone 38) Government of Sierra Leone. 2016. Renewable Energy Policy of Sierra Leone. http://www.energy.gov.sl/PR_Renewable%20Energy%20policy%20of%20SL_FINAL%20for%20Print.pdf 39) Government of Sierra Leone. National Energy Strategic Plan. 2009. http://www.ecowrex.org/system/files/repository/2009_energy_strategic_plan_-_min_ener.pdf 40) Government of Sierra Leone. National Water Resources Managment Agency Act. 2017. Accessed from: https://www.nwrma.gov.sl/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/National-Water-Resources-Management-Act.pdf