Zonful in US$5m solar powered irrigation infrastructure
LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
Local off-grid solar energy provider, Zonful Energy Technologies is planning to invest US$5m in solar powered irrigation infrastructure in the next five years in a bid to improve production to all off-grid rural small scale farmers across all rural provinces in Zimbabwe.
Zonful launched the Hurudza/Umlimi scheme which is a pay-as-you-go solar irrigation solution.
Zonful founder and chief executive officer William Ponela told Business Times that solar powered systems would help farmers to be productive all year round.
“Having realised that rain-fed agriculture is no longer reliable and climate change is now with us, we are investing US$1m each year for the next five years to ensure farmers can continue to produce using our solar powered irrigation technology,” Ponela said.
He said more than 200,000 rural off-grid small scale farmers across Zimbabwe are set to benefit from Sattel/ Zonful’s Hurudza/Umlimi solar irrigation system.
Hurudza/Umlimi from Sattel/Zonful Energy offers farmers an innovative and affordable pay-as-you-go solar irrigation bundle that includes a smartphone with Hurudza/Umlimi app, as well as crop insurance cover, Ponela said.
Conventional farming that relies only on rainfall limits the number and type of crops that can be grown each year.
Ponela said the solar irrigation system is designed to improve productivity, income generation, and living standards of small-holder farmers by enabling farmers to keep their crops watered all year long.
Sattel/Zonful Energy’s customised pay-as-you-go plan allows farmers to pay for their solar out of the increased profits from additional harvests. It also comes with insurance cover in the event of unexpected crop loss.
Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy, employing 70% of the population but with climate change affecting rainfall patterns production continues to go down.
Solar-powered irrigation is helping increase harvests, improve farming practices and raising agriculture incomes which in turn boosts farming incomes and creates new jobs.
A number of local companies and non- governmental organisations have come up with solar-powered irrigation systems which are helping farmers to grow tomatoes, carrots, onions and leafy vegetables on parched land in Zimbabwe.
In Gwanda , solar-powered irrigation was brought into the area by Practical Action, a British charity.
It installed solar stations in 33 communal gardens of about 20,000 square metres (two hectares) each, under the Resilience Enhanced through Agricultural Productivity (REAP) project.
It also installed seven drip-irrigation systems covering about 200,000 square metres (20 hectares) each.
REAP, which began in 2017 and will continue until May 2022, is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency.
The overall cost is US$2.4m.
The project goes well beyond installing pumps and irrigation systems.
