Ouagadougou, October 27, 2020, at the RAMADA Pearl Hotel, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) organized a workshop to share the pre-feasibility study results on the promotion of solar irrigation pumping system in Burkina Faso. The main objective of the workshop was to validate the pre-feasibility study findings, key results and gather more information for the next steps of the project development and implementation process.

Twenty-five (25) representatives, from the private sector, NGOs, municipalities, Civil Society Organizations, and Government institutions (relevant ministries involved in the solar irrigation policy implementation) attended the workshop.

The following main points have been raised through the workshop’s discussions:

• The context, challenges, actors, policies and regulation of the agricultural sector and solar irrigation in Burkina Faso
• The methodological approach, key findings (general findings, segments of the agricultural market, distribution of annual revenues by segment, cost of access to technology, supply chain and quality of technology, access to finance, technical capacities of actors and the need for capacity building), proposed models (taking into account small-scale and large-scale producers) and recommendations for strengthening policy and legal frameworks, availability of quality technology and access to finance

The participants expressed their interest in the initiative, which should integrate the following aspects:

• Implementation of a demonstrative/pilot project
• Stronger consideration of the market component in the model
• Diversification of production and sales
• Development of the package approach (At farm level, an integrated approach to water, soil, nutrient and energy management can help to improve the efficiency and sustainability of resource management)
• Capacity building for farmers, e.g. through public or private extension services or through SPIS suppliers or manufacturers
• Using social group guarantees and collateralizing the financed asset, providing additional insurance and technical assistance
• Solar-powered irrigation is a crosscutting topic that requires not only expertise in solar energy (by planners and suppliers), but also in water management/irrigation and agriculture (by government technical staff, agricultural extension workers and farmers)

The next steps will be focused on:

• The finalization of the pre-feasibility study report
• The development of the detailed feasibility study from 2021 onwards
• The implementation of a pilot project, based on the three major agro-climatic zones (Sahelian, Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian)
• The consultations with financial institutions to set up financial instruments dedicated to solar irrigation