Uganda dairy farmers embrace solar irrigation to boost milk production

UGANDA – Dairy farmers in Nakaseke district have increasingly embracing solar-powered irrigation systems to sustain fodder production, increase milk yields and cushion themselves against the effects of climate change.

The growing adoption of renewable energy is transforming dairy farming in the district, with farmers using solar-powered technologies not only to pump water and cool milk but also to irrigate pasture throughout the year, ensuring uninterrupted production even during prolonged dry spells.

The transformation was highlighted during a recent stakeholders’ meeting organised by Heifer International Uganda at St. Paul’s Hotel in Luweero.

The meeting brought together project implementers, district leaders, dairy cooperative representatives and farmers to assess the impact of renewable energy technologies on dairy farming and climate resilience.

Through the Distributed Renewable Energy Ecosystem Model [DREEM] initiative, Heifer International Uganda is supporting farmers to integrate solar energy across the dairy value chain, helping them maintain production despite increasingly erratic weather conditions.

Funded by the Mott Foundation and implemented in partnership with Enterprise Uganda and the Joint Energy and Environment Projects [JEEP], the initiative aims to expand access to renewable energy in agriculture while improving rural livelihoods.

Ronald Wabwiire, Signature Programme Technical Lead at Heifer International Uganda, said the DREEM initiative was designed as a collaborative ecosystem that brings together local governments, financial institutions and development partners to accelerate the adoption of solar technologies.

He said one of the project’s key interventions has been the solarisation of milk collection centres owned by dairy cooperatives, replacing costly diesel-powered generators with solar-powered milk chilling systems.

“The impact has been significant. Farmers who previously spent between Shs 3 million and Shs 5 million every month on diesel have reduced those costs by more than 80 per cent after adopting solar energy,” Wabwiire said.

Beyond milk chilling, the project has expanded to support solar-powered water pumping for livestock, pasture irrigation, fodder chopping machines, milking equipment and household refrigeration.

Under a blended financing model implemented in partnership with Stanbic Bank, the project combines grant funding with farmer contributions, making renewable energy technologies more affordable for smallholder farmers.

According to Wabwiire, the three-year project, which has one year remaining, has so far supported four dairy cooperatives in Nakaseke district; such as Kariagoro, Ligami, Nyakarongo and Kijumba.

Milk collection at the supported centres has increased by more than 70 per cent, with some cooperatives growing from about 2,000 litres per day to more than 3,000 litres. Membership has also expanded significantly, with some cooperatives increasing from about 70 members to more than 200.

In addition to infrastructure, the project is strengthening cooperative governance and financial management through Enterprise Uganda, while exchange visits and field demonstrations are helping farmers adopt climate-smart farming practices.

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