Carbon-free irrigation for farmers: A case of Mesk

The SEFFA project supported a small smallholder farmers (SHFs) group in the Meskan district of Central Ethiopia to replace diesel pumps with a Solar Water Pump (SWP) on cost-sharing basis to enhance the adoption of sustainable energy. To achieve a successful outcome several parallel strategies were employed including exploring affordability strategies, developing sustainable business models, and providing customised solutions.

The business model entertains a value chain approach that considers group dynamics and cluster irrigation to reduce the upfront cost of the SWP.