Kenya stands at a critical intersection where food security, energy demands, and climate change mitigation must be addressed simultaneously.
As climate change threatens agriculture with erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts, the country also faces increasing pressure to transition to clean energy while ensuring economic growth. Agrivoltaics is one innovative solution that combines these challenges into a single framework—an approach that integrates solar energy production with agricultural activities on the same land.
Agrivoltaics is a dual-purpose system with solar panels installed above farmland, allowing crops to grow underneath while harnessing the sun’s energy to generate electricity. The concept creates a symbiotic relationship where the panels provide shade, reducing heat stress on crops and minimising water loss while the land continues to be productive for farming.
The energy produced can power irrigation systems, reduce post-harvest losses through cold storage, and provide an additional income stream for farmers by selling surplus electricity.
This approach is particularly valuable in arid and semi-arid regions, where traditional farming is becoming increasingly difficult due to climate change.
Kenya has already begun experimenting with agrivoltaics projects in different regions, showcasing its potential to revolutionise agriculture and energy production.
In Makueni County, a pilot agrivoltaics project has demonstrated how solar panels can improve vegetable farming by creating a cooler microclimate that enhances crop yields while generating electricity for irrigation.
Strathmore University has also been researching renewable energy integration in agriculture, exploring how agrivoltaics can be scaled across different agricultural zones in the country. In Garissa, the 54.6MW solar plant has inadvertently shown how solar farms can coexist with livestock grazing, hinting at the broader possibilities for integrating agrivoltaics into Kenya’s agricultural landscape.
For agrivoltaics to become a mainstream solution in Kenya, the government must take a proactive role in its development. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has a crucial task in creating policies that support decentralised solar power generation and incentivise agrivoltaics investments.
At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development should integrate agrivoltaics into its climate-smart agriculture initiatives, ensuring farmers receive training and resources to adopt this technology.
The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) can contribute by researching the most suitable crop varieties and farming techniques under solar panel shading.
Additionally, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) should ensure that agrivoltaics projects are efficiently connected to the national power grid and rural electrification programs, making it easier for farmers to benefit from clean energy solutions.
The case for agrivoltaics in Kenya is compelling. It is a solution that directly addresses food insecurity, supports the transition to renewable energy, and enhances climate resilience—all while optimising land use.
By investing in agrivoltaics, Kenya has an opportunity to secure its food supply and position itself as a leader in sustainable energy and climate-smart agriculture.
Now is the time for policymakers, researchers, and investors to push for agrivoltaics expansion, ensuring this technology becomes a cornerstone of Kenya’s future sustainability strategy.
The writer is a climate action enthusiast and a communications specialist at Windward Communications Consultancy
