Equity Bank-Backed Solar Irrigation Doubles Cocoa Seedling Capacity from 15,000 to 30,000 in Lira
Farmers in Lira, Uganda, are successfully cultivating cocoa by utilizing solar-powered irrigation systems financed through Equity Bank. This technology has allowed local farms to double their seedling production capacity by overcoming previous water access and labor constraints.
Why it matters
The adoption of solar-powered agricultural technology is transforming regional economies by making previously unsuitable crops viable in dry climates.
Cocoa farming, once considered unsuitable for northern Uganda s Lango sub-region, is gaining ground in Lira City as farmers adopt solar-powered irrigation systems financed through Equity Bank Uganda s Results-Based Financing (RBF) programme. Joseph Ogwal Oyuk, Director of Acanga Farm Estates in Lira City West, is among farmers challenging long-held assumptions that cocoa cannot thrive in the region s relatively dry climate. For decades, cocoa cultivation was largely confined to wetter parts of Uganda such as Bundibugyo, with many farmers in Lango relying on seasonal crops including cotton and oilseeds. However, Ogwal says advances in irrigation technology have made cocoa production viable in the area.
The article provides a straightforward report on agricultural development and financing without political or ideological framing.
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