Solar powered irrigation can lead to increased crop rotations and yields that improve agricultural productivity by 30-50% (12, 17, 20).

Solar powered irrigation through deferred payment models such as PAYGO and lease-to-own can reduce cost barriers for farmers looking to add solar irrigation capacity to their farming operations (12, 16). It can also help mitigate the impacts of climate change directly through predictable water supply as well as indirectly, though not relying on diesel powered irrigation.

Solar powered irrigation increases the overall supply of clean energy in Sierra Leone, and in the future farmers could potentially sell spare capacity back into the grid or use it for other purposes and household power needs (21, 22).

Improper management of water sources for irrigation can lead to challenges with water depletion, especially as concerns groundwater (24). However, it should be noted that Sierra Leone has abundant surface water sources, which should help mitigate this risk (28).

If not managed well, irrigation schemes have been shown to have negative impacts on inequality as women have less access to water, information and credit (24).

Lack of proper ownership and training of the solar irrigation systems may result in improper maintenance and lack of sustainable use and results (16).

Poor access to replacement parts may result in solar irrigation systems stopping working (20).

If other agricultural productivity constraints are not addressed, such as limited training, poor infrastructure, limited inputs, and so forth, the benefits of irrigation alone may be limited.

Increase farmer productivity and income, mitigate against the negative impacts of climate change, and achieve a positive result on renewable energy availability within the country.

Medium Term National Development Plan (2019) (3) has both agriculture and energy as key policy areas. Within agriculture, there is mention of development of agricultural value chains as well as mechanisation and value chain improvements more broadly. For energy, there are targets to increase the country’s capacity for renewable energy.

National Agricultural Transformation Strategy 2019-2023 (7) plans to put agriculture at the centre of economic development and improve value chains and supporting mechanisation and technology.

Renewable Energy Policy (2016) (38) and National Energy Strategic Plan (2009) (39) have objectives to increase access to modern energy supplies in off-grid areas for reduction of poverty. They also prioritize small-scale decentralized solar power supplies to meet the basic needs of lighting, refrigeration and media and information technology in rural areas, and calls for the development of a strategy, plan and mechanisms for rural electrification.

Financial incentives: The renewable sector in Sierra Leone is heavily supported by donors. Several grants are available to invest in alternative energy in Africa: The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) is a multi-donor fund managed by AfDB that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency (including in green power systems that shift away from fossil fuel based power, such as irrigation normally would be) (35). The GEF Small Grants Programme also supports various solar projects, and has already funded a solar drip irrigation project in Sierra Leone (36).

Financial incentives: The Apex Bank and its Community Banks established in key rural areas targets smallholder farming groups, and micro and small-scale entrepreneurs, including women and youths, for financing (34). This is part of the IFAD supported Rural Finance and Community Improvement programme and helps ensure better access to finance for farmers including for mechanisation elements such as solar irrigation. Many other international grants and funds are focused on agriculture in Sierra Leone, with a key example relevant to solar irrigation being that of the Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP) run by GoSL but supported by World Bank (37).

Sierra Leone’s Income Tax and Finance Acts include income tax exemptions from import duty on farm machinery, which solar irrigation systems are (33).

The National Water Resources Management Law 2017 introduced regulatory controls over water activities, in order to promote sustainable use of Sierra Leone’s water environment (including springs, streams, rivers, estuaries and groundwater resources) (40).

The Finance Act 2017 provides duty exemptions on the importation of solar equipment that meets International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards (27). Finance Act of 2022 added the supply of solar power to the list of Goods and Services Tax zero-rated supplies. (28).

Auto Smart Irrigation, Aptech Africa, Solar Era Holdings, Easy Solar.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and Environment, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Ministry of Energy, The Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, Environmental Protection Agency.

World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All, European Union (EU), UNOPS, African Union Development Agency, International Water Management Institute.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK), Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit / Energising Development, Millennium Challenge Corporation (US), Welthungerhilfe, Barefoot College, Oxfam, Njala University.

Power Africa (USAid led partnership) brings together companies, development partners and the US government to spur increased investment in the energy sector in Africa.

Irrigation takes different forms and has different uses by agriculture types. However, while the use case for irrigation may vary across smaller regional location, it could be used across the country and all the provinces (28). At the same time, it mainly makes sense to use it in rural areas that are the main agricultural regions in need of irrigation (9), and thus exclude the mixed urban Western Area.