Energy Access for Enhanced Agricultural Productivity in Northern Nigeria
By Prado Power Limited.
Agriculture is the predominant occupation in rural Nigeria. However, the country is often plagued by food shortages as a result of lack of electricity for post harvest processing, irrigation farming, and storage. In such rural and conflict affected settings, there is no grid power, and access to electricity for enhanced agro-yields are non-existent. Lack of access to markets is a hindering factor to economic viability for small holders.
Prado Power Limited aims to bridge this divide by providing power for irrigation, farming, post harvest storage, and processing for rice, maize, cassava and milk – four of the major products in the region. The proposed innovation combined modular solar energy systems and machinery (including solar water pumps, grinding machines, threshing machines) to support agriculture in areas with no grid-power. The innovative aspect of the project lies in the integration of solar technology into the wider socio-economic system, by increasing agricultural yields, strengthening of employment and market linkages for smallholders, and provision of stable electricity to homes and businesses within the community. This solution eliminates the need for expensive grid power extension and provides a sustainable approach to reaching the millions of rural Nigerians currently without access to power for productive uses.
