The Sahel is a semi-arid region spanning multiple African countries, located between the Sahara Desert and the more humid savannah areas to the south. It has vast land resources and favorable climatic conditions for diverse crops; however, water scarcity prevents its full agricultural potential from being realized. The region faces low and erratic rainfall, limited surface water, and largely untapped groundwater due to the high costs and limited availability of energy needed for pumping. Rural power grids are often unreliable, and fuel prices are high.

To enhance agricultural sustainability and resilience, it is essential to secure alternative water sources and reliable, affordable power solutions for irrigation. Solar power, leveraging the region’s abundant sunlight, presents a promising solution, particularly in remote areas with unstable grids. With decreasing costs and improved accessibility, solar pumps paired with irrigation kits offer a green energy alternative that can support both crop irrigation and drinking water provision, ultimately strengthening food security and economic resilience across the Sahel.

Solar-powered systems (SPSs) are particularly well-suited for rural areas with limited access to reliable electricity or fossil fuels, due to their straightforward operation and relatively low cost. An added benefit of SPSs is their passive self-regulation: they naturally pump more water on clear, hot days when demand from plants and animals is highest and reduce output on cooler days when water needs are lower. This adaptive capability makes SPSs an efficient, responsive solution for supporting agricultural and livestock needs in remote settings.

This report, shed the lights on some of the work done by FAO in collaboration with IWMI to assess the potential for solar irrigation in the Sahel using spatial analyses. To read the full report, click here