Partnering to Expand Solar-Powered Mobile Irrigation for Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

SunRider: Scaling Solar-Powered Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS) for Kenya’s ASALs

SowPrecise Africa Limited is a Kenyan ag-tech startup transitioning from successful field pilots to regional scale. We are seeking a UK-based organisation to serve as the Administrative Lead for a £625,000 Innovate UK Energy Catalyst Round 11 bid.

The Challenge – The Paradox of Access
In Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), smallholder farmers face “energy poverty” rather than absolute water scarcity. Rivers are abundant, yet high-cost diesel pumps and lack of upfront capital prevent irrigation. Less than 1% of viable land is currently under irrigation.

Our Solution – SunRider IaaS
SowPrecise provides solar-powered Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS) through SunRider Central, a hub-and-spoke model for farm clusters 0.6–3 km from water sources. The hubs integrate hybrid solar-biogas irrigation to enable 24-hour operation and support a circular resource exchange (“Manure-for-Irrigation”), reducing costs for farmers while restoring soil fertility.

Impact & Innovation

• Reduces carbon emissions by displacing diesel irrigation.

• Increases smallholder productivity and inclusion, targeting >40% women/youth participation.

• Establishes a circular economy research base for energy optimization, nutrient recovery, and carbon-readiness monitoring.

Partnership Opportunity
We seek a UK-registered Administrative Lead (e.g., UCL) to manage grant administration, provide fiduciary oversight, and co-develop work packages for technical validation and socio-economic impact analysis. SowPrecise will serve as the operational and technology lead, managing hardware deployment, hub operations, and farmer engagement.

Project Budget

• Total: £625,000

• Grant: £475,000

• SowPrecise Match: £150,000

Join us to scale a commercially viable, low-carbon irrigation solution that transforms access to water for Kenya’s smallholders while advancing research in decentralized energy and circular agriculture.