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By IT Edge News.Africa
Technology Offers Climate-Resilient Solution to Dry Season Farming and Post-Harvest Losses.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has successfully demonstrated its state-of-the-art solar irrigation pump systems to farmers in Kano State, showcasing climate-resilient solutions designed to transform dry season farming and reduce post-harvest losses across Nigeria.
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The community demonstrations, which took place on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at large-scale rice farmlands in Zakirai village, Gabasawa Local Government Area, and Kwarin Kaba, Kumbotso Local Government Area, proved that NASENI’s Solar Irrigation System offers a transformative solution that reduces operational costs and decouples agricultural production from fossil-fuel price volatility.
The programme, organized by NASENI in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), CGIAR, the Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, the Kano State Agricultural Development Authority (KNARDA), and various farm cooperative societies, was aimed at increasing the adoption of solar irrigation systems among farmers across the state.
Nigeria’s Vast Arable Land Underutilized Due to Reliance on Rainfed Agriculture
Dr. Emmanuel Ajani, Director of Technical Services at NASENI, who led the farm demonstrations using NASENI’s solar irrigation pump machines, highlighted the immense potential and current challenges facing Nigerian agriculture.
He noted that Nigeria possesses an estimated 84 million hectares of arable land, yet an overwhelming majority of its agriculture remains rainfed, with only a fraction under functional irrigation.
“In Northern Nigeria, specifically Kano State, climate variability and rising fuel costs—exacerbated by subsidy removals—heavily threaten the profitability of dry-season farming for crops such as rice, wheat, and high-value vegetables,” Dr. Ajani explained.
He revealed that the two-day “Demand-Supply Linkage Workshop and Field Demonstrations for Solar-Based Irrigation Systems (SBIS)” was designed to bring together key stakeholders to catalyze bankable investments and translate research into actionable equipment adoption.
“This workshop brought together the Demand (structured farmer clusters), Supply (solar vendors), and Enablers (non-interest banks, conventional banks, NIRSAL, and extension agents) to catalyze bankable investments and directly translate research into actionable equipment adoption. This Demand-Supply Linkage Workshop is designed to bridge this gap,” he added.
KNARDA Commends NASENI for Linking Farmers to Quality-Assured Technology
Dr. Farouk Ahmad Kurawa, Managing Director of the Kano State Agricultural Development Authority (KNARDA), commended NASENI for organizing the workshop and farm demonstrations. He noted that the initiative provided a vital platform for equipment suppliers to showcase certified, quality-assured SBIS technologies directly to farmers.
“Farmers are willing to adopt new innovations,” Dr. Kurawa said, emphasizing the importance of practical demonstrations in driving technology uptake among rural farming communities.
Farmers Laud NASENI Technology for Boosting Income and Reducing Losses
A farmer, Mr. Zubairu Mohammed Inuwa from Kwarin Kaba, Kumbotso LGA, on whose farmland NASENI’s Solar Irrigation system was demonstrated, lauded the Agency. The technology would ensure all-season farming, increase crop yields, reduce post-harvest losses, and increase income for farmers.
The demonstrations provided farmers with firsthand experience of the technology’s efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and potential to transform their agricultural productivity.
IWMI Identifies Adoption Barriers, Partners with NASENI to Address Them
Dr. Adebayo Oke, Team Lead at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), revealed that recent CGIAR baseline studies and Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) conducted in Kano, Kaduna, and Kebbi have identified significant adoption barriers.
“While the Solar-Based Irrigation Systems technology is desired, the upfront capital cost is prohibitive for individual smallholders,” Dr. Oke explained.
He added: “
That is why we are working with NASENI. The primary objective is to establish a functional, sustainable market linkage among smallholder farmer cooperatives, solar irrigation equipment suppliers, and financial institutions to accelerate the adoption of Farmer-led Irrigation Development (FLID/SBIS) in Kano State and beyond.”
Financial Institutions Step In to Co-Develop Accessible Credit Facilities
Financial institutions participating in the programme included the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Jaiz Bank, and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) . These institutions are working to co-develop acceptable, harvest-synced credit facilities and Islamic finance products tailored to smallholder farmers.
Many stakeheholders participated in the programme and attested to the economic viability of solar-based irrigation systems. They include representatives from the Vegetable Farmers Association of Nigeria, and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN). Others are cooperative societies, local vegetable and tomato farming clusters, as well as Women and Youth Farming Groups,Â
A Transformative Step Toward Climate-Resilient Agriculture
The successful demonstrations in Kano State mark a significant step toward addressing Nigeria’s agricultural challenges through innovative, sustainable technology.
NASENI’ solar irrigation systems will be reducing dependence on expensive fossil fuels and mitigating the impact of climate variability. Its systems offer a pathway to increased food production, improved farmer incomes, and enhanced food security for the nation.
The collaboration between NASENI, IWMI, CGIAR, state agencies, financial institutions, and farming communities demonstrates the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships. This is driving agricultural transformation and building resilience in Nigeria’s farming sector.
