Firms launch climate-smart solar technologies to boost farmer resilience 

ThriveAgric has partnered with the AGRA to launch climate-smart solar-powered infrastructure aimed at strengthening farmer resilience and improving agricultural productivity in Niger State. The initiative, unveiled during a Launching and Field Day Event held in Bosso and Gbako Local Government Areas, is designed to support smallholder farmers with solar-powered irrigation and post-harvest technologies to mitigate […]

ThriveAgric has partnered with the AGRA to launch climate-smart solar-powered infrastructure aimed at strengthening farmer resilience and improving agricultural productivity in Niger State.

The initiative, unveiled during a Launching and Field Day Event held in Bosso and Gbako Local Government Areas, is designed to support smallholder farmers with solar-powered irrigation and post-harvest technologies to mitigate climate risks and improve food security.

The event brought together government officials, development partners, agricultural experts and local farmers, and featured the commissioning of a Solar-Powered Borehole System in Maitumbi Community. Demonstrations of Productive Use of Energy (PUE) technologies, including solar irrigation pumps, solar multi-grain threshers and solar bubble dryers, were also held at the ThriveAgric warehouse in Talba Market.

According to the organisers, the intervention seeks to address climate-related challenges confronting grain producers in Northern Nigeria by replacing fossil-fuel-dependent farming methods with renewable energy solutions that enable year-round farming activities and reduce post-harvest losses.

Speaking at the launch, the Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mathew Ahmed, described the project as a major step toward climate adaptation and agricultural modernisation in the state.

“The Niger State Government highly commends ThriveAgric and AGRA for this timely intervention. This initiative is a vital step forward in our climate change mitigation efforts, particularly in protecting our communities against the harsh realities of seasonal dry spells,” he said.

Ahmed added that the deployment of solar-powered irrigation and infrastructure aligns with the state government’s vision of modernising agriculture, protecting rural livelihoods and strengthening long-term food security.

Also speaking, AGRA Country Director, Mr. Rufus Idris, represented by Programme Officer Dr. Esther Ibrahim, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to building resilient food systems and supporting smallholder farmers to withstand climate shocks.

“By investing in solar-powered irrigation and post-harvest technologies, we are helping farmers move beyond subsistence toward more productive, sustainable livelihoods, enabling them to adapt, diversify, and thrive in more inclusive and competitive food systems,” he said.

ThriveAgric’s Vice President of Product and Innovation, Sula Bello, said the introduction of clean-energy technologies would help farmers increase productivity while building sustainable farming systems.

“True innovation doesn’t just digitize the farm, it future-proofs it. By integrating clean energy into farmer operations, we are empowering them to scale productivity while building a sustainable, climate-resilient food system,” Bello stated.

The organisers disclosed that the project has so far reached more than 8,000 farmers across the region and facilitated the planting of over 20,000 trees in six local government areas. They added that over 15,000 metric tonnes of grains have been aggregated under the initiative, helping farmers gain access to structured markets while creating employment opportunities for youths serving as extension delivery agents.

The programme forms part of a broader initiative focused on strengthening farmers’ resilience through climate-smart grain production and improving access to structured markets in Nigeria.

The event concluded with the official commissioning of the solar-powered facilities by the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, reinforcing what stakeholders described as a growing collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive agricultural transformation and climate resilience in the state.

The initiative is supported by international partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, KfW, The Rockefeller Foundation and UK International Development.