Solar-powered technologies are beginning to reshape agricultural productivity across Africa, as nonprofits backed by the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation deploy millions of dollars to tackle energy gaps, post-harvest losses and farm inefficiencies.
Through a programme managed by Washington DC-based non-profit Clasp, solar-powered cold rooms, refrigerators, irrigation pumps and grain mills are being rolled out in six countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The initiative targets smallholder farmers who have long struggled with unreliable access to power and high post-harvest losses.
The programme, known as the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF), has completed a two-year pilot phase and has now secured $50 million in funding from the World Bank to scale operations, particularly in Nigeria.
The Rockefeller Foundation, which has already committed $12 million, has indicated that additional country-level funding could follow as demand grows.
Speaking in Nairobi during a visit to SokoFresh, a company that operates solar-powered cold rooms for fresh produce storage, Rockefeller Foundation President Rajiv Shah stated that the programme is designed to support innovations that can be scaled by governments and development institutions.
PUFF operates under Mission 300, a joint World Bank and African Development Bank initiative aimed at delivering electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa currently accounts for more than 80 per cent of the global population without access to power, limiting agricultural productivity and rural economic growth.
Between 2022 and 2024, the pilot phase of PUFF supported 24 businesses across the six participating countries, providing grants, subsidies and technical assistance to make solar equipment more affordable for farmers and agri-enterprises.
In Kenya, Nairobi-based SokoFresh has emerged as a key beneficiary.
The company serves approximately 19,000 farmers by providing solar-powered cold storage for herbs, vegetables and other perishable produce destined for local and export markets.
According to SokoFresh Chief Executive Officer Denis Karema, poor refrigeration contributes to up to 40 per cent of post-harvest losses across sub-Saharan Africa.
By extending shelf life and stabilising supply, solar-powered cold rooms are helping farmers secure better prices, reduce waste and access higher-value markets.
This is particularly significant for Kenya’s horticulture sector, which generates around $1 billion in annual exports from products such as avocados, vegetables, and cut flowers.
As the programme expands, development partners believe solar-powered agricultural tools could play a critical role in strengthening food security, supporting climate-smart farming practices and improving livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers across Africa.
Source: Business Day
