Takeaways from the 2nd Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference

Agroecology and renewable energy are typically seen as separate solutions to climate and food system challenges. But what if combining them could unlock a more sustainable and resilient future for farming? This was the central question at the recent Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference side event, “The nexus of regenerative agriculture (RA) and productive use of renewable energy (PURE)” hosted by SNV, GOGLA, and PELUM Kenya.

Here are expert insights on why the nexus is crucial for building resilient food systems:

The integration of renewable energy into agroecology is grounded in and guided by the UN FAO’s agroecological principles. Key principles—such as minimising external inputs, diversifying crops, enhancing soil health, and promoting natural pest control—aim to reduce dependence on energy-intensive farming practices while fostering sustainability. Agroecology strengthens resilience for both ecosystems and communities. Renewable energy adoption improves resilience by offering reliable alternatives in the face of climate disruptions. For instance, agroecological systems can harness solar, wind, and biogas energy to power irrigation, water pumps, and processing equipment, thereby cutting reliance on fossil fuels—which are a leading driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

Yet significant barriers remain. The high upfront costs of renewable energy technologies often create barriers to adoption by small and medium-scale farmers. Additionally, many farming communities lack the technical expertise required to operate and maintain these systems. Therefore, renewable energy initiatives must prioritise inclusivity, ensuring they empower rather than marginalise farmers. We should advance energy independence—especially in remote rural areas—while upholding agroecology’s core tenets of participation, equity, and fairness.

Beyond implementation, policymakers must reform land-use regulations to safeguard shrinking agricultural land from conversion to other uses. Ignoring these challenges would deepen the burdens on farmers—the very individuals sustaining our food systems amid growing climate and economic pressures.

The integration of renewable energy into agricultural systems must be guided by agroecological principles to create truly sustainable food systems. PELUM, a network of 63 civil society organisations in Kenya, recognises this in its work with smallholder farmers. Across sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural systems remain critically underpowered despite energy being a key enabler across the entire value chain—from production and processing to consumption.

Kenya has demonstrated leadership in developing policy frameworks that integrate energy and agriculture. The National Energy Policy (2025-2034) prioritises renewable energy diversification, while the Kenya Climate Change Adaptation Plans recognise renewable energy as key to building agricultural resilience. These are complemented by Kenya Vision 2030's emphasis on sustainable agriculture and the National Agroecology Strategy's focus on transitioning to circular food systems powered by equitable clean energy solutions.

However, the persistent challenge lies in translating these policies into solid outcomes. Several barriers hinder effective implementation, including siloed thinking between ministries, overlapping policy mandates that create confusion, and inadequate coordination mechanisms. These structural issues are compounded by the financial and technical constraints faced by smallholder farmers who struggle to access renewable energy solutions.

To realise a truly just transition, we must adopt an integrated approach that bridges policy and implementation gaps. The policy foundation exists; what we need now is concerted action to turn these commitments into concrete results that improve livelihoods while safeguarding our environment.

From our experience, small-scale farmers typically earn just €3-4 per day, making it unrealistic for them to purchase solar-powered irrigation systems and other green renewable energy solutions. SowPrecise charges them a service fee of €10 per acre irrigated to maintain the systems, ensuring affordability. We deliver solar-powered farming solutions to small-scale farmers in arid and semi-arid regions. These farmers face unreliable rainfall—worsened by climate change—and struggle with unaffordable irrigation equipment, leading to underproduction, unmet market demand, and food insecurity. Our approach focuses on farmer-centric solutions that are both accessible and cost-effective, supported by last-mile distribution.

The inability of farmers to buy these systems outright should not prevent them from accessing renewable energy solutions. We must innovate alternative financing models to make sustainable agriculture viable for them. We must also address policy barriers that discourage potential investors from supporting renewable energy agribusinesses. Patient capital is also critical, as this is a growing market that requires time and commitment to mature.

Efficiency, sustainability, and productivity in food systems are inextricably linked to energy use. Agriculture accounts for 30% of global energy consumption, with fossil fuels powering 15% of the sector’s infrastructure. This dependence undermines climate resilience, soil health, and livelihoods—especially in vulnerable communities.

How then can we transform and integrate energy and agri-food systems and empower communities to build better livelihoods? We believe that there is immense potential in promoting regenerative agriculture practises powered by renewable energy that can enhance soil health, increase biodiversity and ensure food security. This nexus thinking requires us to break the silos and connect the dots.

Breaking down the silos requires alignment and coordination of policies between agriculture and energy, integrated practices in all stages of the value chain and increased investment in RA and PURE solutions from all actors. We also need to connect the dots by sharing challenges, successes and lessons learned, thereby enhancing our collective understanding and improving the design and implementation of policies and practices.

As SNV, we have engaged in a 10-year partnership with the IKEA Foundation focused on the nexus between Regenerative Agriculture (RA) and the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE). Our shared goal is to catalyse partnerships and drive the transformation of food systems in East Africa, with a particular emphasis on empowering other ecosystem actors to adopt RA practices supported by PURE solutions. We are using three key pathways to pursue this goal: Learn, Link and Leverage.

• Learn: Engage and interact with each other to understand what is working, what is not working, and how we can improve.

• Link: Transform the lessons into action by all stakeholders in terms of products and services.

• Leverage: Embed these in policies and practices and increase the resources invested in this space.

“Kenya is shifting strategy—embracing a nexus approach. We recognised that disjointed efforts were limiting the adoption and uptake of new technologies, such as solar-powered solutions and off-grid connectivity, promoted by the government. To bridge this gap, we have established an Intergovernmental Committee, bringing together ministries, development partners like GOGLA, SNV, GIZ and many others, the private sector, and other key stakeholders to dismantle silos and drive alignment.

Our goal? To incentivise and accelerate the uptake of PURE technologies. A prime example is Kenya’s Agri-food-PURE nexus pilot with tea factories. By transitioning to solar-powered drying systems, these factories have slashed wood fuel consumption by nearly 70%.”

Eng. Stephen Nzioka—Director of Renewable Energy in charge of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Energy & Petroleum, Government of Kenya

"In Uganda, we recognised that siloed thinking was ‘killing us’ – stifling progress and limiting impact. But by breaking down barriers and working together, we have unlocked new opportunities to identify risks, tackle challenges, and even align budgets across sectors.

Today, we are using a ‘Programmatic Approach,’ bringing together all government departments under shared national priorities. Take our Agro-Industrialisation Program as an example: it brings together the Ministries of Agriculture, Energy, Industry, Water, and Environment under one coordinated strategy.

The lesson is clear: when you plan in isolation, you risk undermining other sectors without realising it. Siloed approaches blind us to systemic impacts and hinder the adoption of sustainable solutions. But through integration, we are building resilience, efficiency, and lasting change."

Hon. Bwino Fred Kyakulaga—Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Uganda

“Many institutions and governments work in isolation, focusing narrowly on their own sector without considering how their actions impact other areas. Why this siloed thinking? Institutional structures often encourage specialisation, where ministries or departments focus only on their own goals without coordinating with others. For example, an energy ministry might prioritise expanding solar power without considering how it connects to agriculture, water or even the fisheries industry. The nexus perspective recognises that the outcomes in one sector are deeply intertwined with those in another, and that isolated interventions can lead to unintended consequences. For instance, initiatives aimed solely at improving energy provision without consideration for water and food security may result in inefficiencies that compromise long-term sustainability.”

Patrick Tonui—Head of Policy and Regional Strategy, GOGLA

“Three things which we believe affect the adoption of renewable energy products

Cost of equipment: Renewable energy systems often require significant initial investment, which can deter low-income consumers, particularly in developing markets. High initial investment costs also deter potential users by increasing the overall expense of transitioning to renewable technologies. For example, while solar panels have long-term cost benefits, the upfront price remains a hurdle compared to cheaper alternatives like fossil fuels.

Cost of advertising/Consumer awareness: Many potential users lack sufficient knowledge about RE products—how they work, their benefits, and their long-term cost savings. Effective advertising and education campaigns are needed but can be expensive, especially for start-ups and small and medium enterprises with limited budgets. 

Access to finance: Even when consumers are willing to switch to RE, many lack access to affordable credit or flexible payment options. Traditional banks often view low-income households and small businesses as high-risk borrowers, making loans difficult to secure. Solutions like microloans, lease-to-own models, and pay-as-you-go financing have proven effective in markets like Kenya.”

Martha Wakoli—Research Manager, Clean Energy Access, CLASP, representing the Efficiency for Access Coalition