February 13th, 2020. Ramada Pearl Hotel, Ouagadougou. The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Burkina Faso team organized a debriefing session on the solar pump project’s pre-feasibility study. The project is focused on replacing diesel- / gas oil-powered pumps used by farmers, by promoting the use of cleaner and profitable solar-powered irrigation systems.
The purpose of the session was to present the results of consultations with private and public sector stakeholders, discuss key learning from the field trip to Hauts-Bassins and to receive feedback from the participants to help inform the project’s next steps.
In attendance were participants from Prime Ministry, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Agriculture and Hydro-agricultural Infrastructures, Civil Society Organizations, Development Partners, representatives from the private sector and from financial institutions and Mark Gibson, GGGI’s Principal for Agribusiness and Agroforestry.
Dr. Mallé Fofana, GGGI Burkina Faso Country Representative, delivered the opening speech in which he highlighted how the solar irrigation project would contribute to Burkina’s green growth pathway. Lamine Ouedraogo, Senior Officer Green Growth Programming, and Mark Gibson presented the following :
- context for, and evolution of, solar-powered irrigation technology
- field visit results
- possible next steps.
Discussions with the debriefing session’s participants centered on means to introduce farmers to the solar technology, providing a basis to refine the business models presented by GGGI. Means identified by participants included; (i) implementation of a demonstration/pilot project; (ii) ensuring a significant presence for the private sector; (iii) farmers diversifying their production and sales; (iv) development of an integrated approach to support farmers with a range of services; (v) capacity building for farmers; and (vi) using social group guarantees for the technology.
Noting the relevance of GGGI’s initiative in supporting the Government of Burkina Faso, participants provided feedback and committed to support the project, recognizing how it will contribute to; reduced vulnerability of rural communities; improved resiliency in the face of a changing climate; increased food and nutrition security; improve wellbeing of rural households; and produce climate mitigation effects.
The session concluded with exchanges on the project’s next steps; namely:
- the collection of additional information from key stakeholders to support development of business cases,
- the production of a pre-feasibility report on the recommended model, and
- the preparation of a concept note to enable a demonstration/pilot project to be carried out.