Solar-powered groundwater irrigation critical in boosting Nigeria’s food production – Study

Increasing temperature, erratic rainfall, and other extreme events, such as floods and droughts, pose severe threats to Nigeria’s food production, particularly in the central and northern regions where rainfall is limited and agriculture is the backbone of the economy.

Solar-powered groundwater irrigation is seen as a potentially groundbreaking disruptive technology, particularly for resource-constrained states, owing to its cleaner energy source and a better distribution than surface water sources.

To better understand the potential of accelerating farmer-led irrigation in central and northern Nigeria, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), with support from the Africa Climate Investment Facility – World Bank implemented a combined economic-biophysical assessment of groundwater irrigation for both solar and diesel pumps.

The assessment was done under a series of alternative assumptions regarding cropping patterns, solar panel cost, pump costs, and farm size, among others.

The study finds a combined profitable irrigated groundwater area of five million hectares for a medium-profitable scenario of rotating production of rice and okra, with more than half of the energy provided by solar systems.

Importantly, almost all the profitable areas—95percent—are located in Nigeria’s central and northern states. The study assumes that 50percent of farmers already own boreholes, noting that the total investment volume is $ 19 billion.

Most of the profitable areas irrigated with solar irrigation are in Yobe, Kebbi, and Sokoto, where solar irradiation is the largest, whereas most of the fuel-pump potential is located in the central and northeastern regions, such as Bauchi, Gombe or Niger, the study states.

“The lifespan of the solar panel, the irrigated cropping pattern, and the location of productive groundwater sources are key factors determining the profitability of farmer-led irrigation in central and northern Nigeria,” says Bedru Balana, IFPRI Nigeria, a co-author of the study.

“If farmers choose more high-value crops, such as pepper and onion, the profitable area could be even larger,” Balana notes.

However, uptake of solar irrigation systems has remained low in Nigeria and particularly in the central and northern regions.

According to A.E. Obayelu a lecturer with the Federal University of Agriculture, Ogun State, solar system vendors consider the lack of information and awareness of farmers in central and northern Nigeria as the largest barrier to uptake of solar irrigation, followed by the high upfront cost for solar systems as compared to petrol or diesel pumps.

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A 2019 household survey found that only 11, 13, and 14pecent respectively of households in selected Local Government Areas in the northeastern, northcentral and northwestern regions had access to formal credit.

The same survey found high access to mobile phones in all three regions (above 90percent), but low access to mobile internet, where information on solar irrigation pumps could be obtained.

“To overcome these challenges, three-pronged approach are needed; a more granular assessment of water resources and financial availability within states, followed by the linkage of farmers with interest in investing in groundwater irrigation with appropriate financial products and solar system vendors, Petra Schmitter, senior irrigation specialist with the World Bank says.

“Also, the enabling environment for farmer-led irrigation needs to be strengthened, including institutions for groundwater governance and support to good agricultural practices and sustainable water use,” Schmitter says.

“Importantly, this investment could also reduce Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 3.5 million CO2-eq, an important contribution to the country’s climate mitigation effort,” she adds.