Solarization of food systems and, in particular, of groundwater irrigation holds immense promise for food security, income generation and climate resilience in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. However, tools that support governments, the private sector and practitioners to identify where and how to solarize irrigation are scarce. NEXUS Gains is supporting the development, refinement, replication and scaling of solar sizing tools for use by planners and investors, including farmers themselves, to make the solar promise a reality. This NEXUS Gains Talk will introduce a solar irrigation pump sizing tool developed for and adopted in India, with potential for expansion to other countries in South Asia, as well as tools developed for Sub-Saharan Africa. Presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with key stakeholders and support agencies to chart solar futures for these two regions.
Speakers:
- Claudia Ringler, NEXUS Gains Co-Lead and Director, Natural Resources and Resilience Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): moderator
- Shilp Verma, Senior Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWMI): Solar sizing in India and beyond: from a prototype to impact
- Hua Xie, Research Fellow, IFPRI: Solar sizing in Sub-Saharan Africa: what matters most?