Even though Africa has abundant natural resources that could address the continent’s unmet energy needs, it also faces a tremendous energy challenge for its growing population. Africa’s growing population requires innovative solutions to ensure rural communities access energy sources for enterprise growth. According to the African Development Bank, about 645 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity, with the majority residing in rural areas and engaging in agriculture as their predominant economic activity.
Agriculture contributes over one-third of the gross national product (GNP) and employs more than two-thirds of the labour force, which is about 70 per cent of the population living in rural areas. Agricultural productivity and food security require off-grid energy sources to be available to rural populations to realise agriculture’s great potential. Along with climate change, food security is one of the most pressing concerns of our ever-evolving planet.
Solar energy is a practical option for farmers, especially in arid regions, that allows farmers to produce crops and boost food production across Africa. Some of the ways solar energy can boost food production in Africa include:
- Solar Powered Irrigation Systems
It was the norm for rural African farms to rely solely on rainwater to irrigate their fields, which limited their growing season to the three to six-month rainy season. However, solar-powered drip pumps have expanded the amount of planting farmers do each year.
This method employs tubing along rows of plants, providing a slow trickle of water directly to the crops’ roots. Several reasons contribute to the benefits of this system for farmers, including increased water supply during droughts, prevention of water contamination, control of nutrients, and weed control by targeting watered roots.
These systems have provided greater yields for farming communities, helping to provide food year-round.
- Refrigeration
Refrigeration is another challenge faced by small farms in Africa. With refrigeration, preserving food and decreasing the amount of harvested produce that makes it to a table is easier. Due to the lack of refrigeration, up to a third of all African food goes bad, making keeping this food produced crucial to decreasing hunger. Solar energy is now powering refrigerators, reducing the waste of food and milk. Companies have developed complete solar refrigeration that anyone off the grid can use for their homes and farms and this could help increase the shelf-life of farm produce from 5 days to up to 21 days.
- Food Processing
Rural communities are also benefiting from solar energy in the agro-processing industry. The sun is now powering equipment that transforms crops and can give farmers a competitive edge at markets. Trade is still a large part of the African economy, and it can be advantageous to have products such as chips and powders made from raw food harvested by farmers. In the past, the machines necessary to make these products could only be run by communities connected to the power grid. Despite this, off-the-grid communities can now run food processing machines thanks to the increase in and efficiency of solar energy.
- Employment
From a broad perspective, it may seem like simplifying some of these farm processes would decrease the number of workers needed for food production, but implementing solar energy is actually creating employment opportunities. More workers will be required to boost the production of food across Africa. Generally, various solar energy initiatives and projects in Africa employ tens of thousands of workers, competing with jobs in more traditional but less available power-producing industries. The data show that previously undervalued groups, including women and youth, are finding careers in this field, which is empowering for them.
Demand for food is growing. The global population is expected to increase to over 10 billion by 2050, requiring an estimated 50% increase in agricultural production. The world is battling overpopulation, climate change, water scarcity, and a looming food crisis. Our greatest weapon in winning this battle, particularly in Africa, is harnessing solar power for agriculture.
In conclusion, energy experts estimate that half of the new energy installed in Africa by 2050 will be renewable sources, including solar. As solar equipment prices continue to drop, using these resources will likely become advantageous over traditional energy production and will continue to power farmers around the continent, regardless of their size, and boost food production.