Gov’t to roll out solar-powered irrigation pumps nationwide
The government has announced plans to deploy solar-powered irrigation pumps nationwide as part of efforts to improve agricultural productivity and reduce dependence on rain-fed farming.
Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, disclosed this at the seventh meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Regional Committee for Africa, held in Accra.
According to the minister, the initiative will allow farmers to engage in year-round farming, especially in parts of the country where the dry season leaves farmlands idle for nearly six months.
“I have had fruitful discussions with the Director-General of the International Solar Alliance, and we are working to deploy solar irrigation pumps across the country. India has pioneered this successfully, and we want to learn from them. We have signed some MoUs, and once installed, these pumps will allow Ghanaians to farm productively all year round,” Mr Jinapor explained.
Meanwhile, Director-General of ISA, Ashish Khanna, announced a USD200 million facility to accelerate solar adoption across Africa.
He revealed that USD75 million of the fund will be operationalised before the end of 2025, leveraging over USD800 million in private sector investment for decentralised renewable energy projects, starting in Nigeria.
The ministerial session on the African Solar Facility (ASF) highlighted the need to mobilise domestic finance, de-risk solar investments and strengthen public-private partnerships.
Stakeholders emphasised transparent procurement processes, secure payment systems and targeted equity support as critical to scaling renewable energy solutions.
