Thanks to the Niger Irrigation Program (NIP) farmers in Niger now have access to solar-powered drip irrigation technology, enabling them to produce more with less water and energy, improving their incomes and resilience to drought, floods, and other climate-related extremes.
But thanks to a new private sector initiative, some small- and medium-scale farmers in Niger now have access to solar-powered drip irrigation technology, enabling them to produce more with less water and energy, improving their incomes and resilience to drought, floods, and other climate-related extremes.
Solar-powered irrigation pumps and other appliances have demonstrated their power to transform Niger by increasing crop yields and production. “Previously, I irrigated only a tiny plot using diesel water pumps,” says Alzouma. “With solar irrigation, we now grow fruit trees, onions, tomatoes, and moringa.
What is the Niger irrigation program (Nip)?
Thanks to the Niger Irrigation Program (NIP) farmers in Niger now have access to solar-powered drip irrigation technology, enabling them to produce more with less water and energy, improving their incomes and resilience to drought, floods, and other climate-related extremes. Photo: Liudmila Pestun / IFC
What is the Niger solar energy access project?
The World Bank-funded Niger Solar Electricity Access Project enables farmers to buy pumps. Based on its success, a broader $800-million solar energy project - Niger Accelerating Electricity Access (HASKÉ) - will integrate grid power, mini-grids, and off-grid solutions for electricity and clean cooking.
Yes, there is considerable experience of off-grid solar energy systems in Niger. These include off-grid PV electrification, water pumping, and solar water heating systems. The main decentralised renewable energy system promoted in Niger for rural electricity is solar PV.
What is the main source of irrigation in Nigeria?
In Nigeria large-scale irrigation schemes have been developed since the 1960s on the Niger and some of its tributaries, notably the Sokoto, Kaduna, and Benue. The Niger is also a source of hydroelectricity. The largest project is the Kainji Dam in Nigeria, completed in the late 1960s.