Wala

Harnessing the Sun for Increased Agricultural Productivity

The project provided solar irrigation technology and technical training to farmers in Malawi, enabling them to move towards commercial agribusiness. Farmer groups purchase solar water pumps through collective group savings. Wala and its partners provide each customer with training on: the use and maintenance of solar irrigation technology; agribusiness techniques to maximize land productivity and crop diversification; climate change adaptation, mitigation and water conservation; and business and financial management. With EEP Africa financing, Wala piloted the solar pump technology and the lease-to-own business model for low-income farmers.

Outcome and Impact

During the project period, Wala and its partners provided 172 farmers with training. This in turn enhanced clean energy access for 80 farmer groups, reaching a total of 2,459 smallholder farmers. The project has distributed 159 pumps and created over 189 new jobs, predominantly for women.