FG committed to boost food, energy production through Agrivoltaic farming – Minister

Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, says the Federal Government remains committed to driving agrivoltaic farming to boost food and energy production in the country.

Nnaji said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the maiden International Agrivoltaics Workshop and Official Unveiling of the Book titled “Democratising the Sun: Agrivoltaics and the Future of Farming in Nigeria and Africa”

Our correspondent reports that agrivoltaic farming, also known as agrisolar is the practice of integrating solar panel systems into agricultural land use. It involves growing crops underneath or around solar panels, allowing for simultaneous food and energy production.

The event was organised by Lichipu for Food, Energy and Water Sustainability (LIFEWS) Foundation in collaboration with the University of Abuja, with the support of researchers from Oregon State University, USA.

The theme of the workshop titled “Agrivoltaics and Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Nigeria and Africa: Scaling Innovations for Food, Energy, Water Security, and the Common Good

The minister was represented by his Special Assistant on Project Delivery, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Ezebuiro Christ Peace.

He said the event embodies the kind of innovation-led climate smart and community-driven approach that is central to the ministry’s agenda for national transformation.

According to him, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology is committed to driving Nigeria’s transition to a diversified knowledge-based economy through strategic innovation.

“We aim to harness indigenous capacity, promote green industrialisation and enable technologies that improve lives.

“Agrivoltaics, the combination of solar energy harvesting and agricultural productivity stands as a model solution that demonstrates how we can optimise land use, generate clean energy, ensure food security and build a resilient climate for everyone.

“Our country is blessed with ample sunlight and rich agricultural potential.

“Yet, energy access and food insecurity remain major challenges which we think agrivoltaics can help, especially in the area of expanding off-grid solar infrastructure in farming communities.”

The minister said it would also help in areas of improving crop performance through moderated microclimates, reducing evapotranspiration and improving water use efficiency.

According to him, this aligns with the Ministry’s strategic vision of deploying science, innovation and technology for national competitiveness, rural transformation and environmental sustainability.

“Today’s launch of the book, Democratising the Sun, is especially symbolic and the title itself speaks volumes. This is because sunlight, the most democratic of all energy sources, should not remain the privilege of a few.

“Knowledge like sunlight must be shared, localised and used for common good,” minister said.

He congratulated the authors and acknowledged the LIFEWS Foundation, the University of Abuja and Oregon State University for their collaborative work in bringing the new technology to the country.

“In moving forward, the Ministry is actively supporting research and demonstration projects in agrivoltaics and related fields.

“We have a couple of solar farms across the country where plants have already been incorporated into energy generation.

“Of course, the dimension that you have presented is presenting a new opportunity for entrepreneurship and for developing policies that will drive this.

“So, we are also collaborating with tertiary institutions for Science, Technology, Innovation-based community impacts around solar energy, food production and a whole lot of them, and developing enabling policy and regulated environments for innovation.”

According to him, the ministry is also promoting indigenous development and manufacturing of solar agricultural technology.

“As a matter of fact, we are hoping that in the next couple of months, Nigeria will begin to produce its own solar panels. The Ministry values international partnerships that empower local solutions, such as what we are witnessing here today.

“The involvement of Oregon State University reflects the kind of south-north collaboration we encourage. Mutually beneficial, inclusive and grounded in real world impacts.

“In conclusion, innovation is not to remain in laboratories or conference halls, it must travel into farms, schools, homes and marketplaces.”

He assured the stakeholders of the Ministry’s continued commitment to supporting scalable climate-smart innovations, such as agrivoltaics.

“Let us grow the food that we need, generate the energy that we need to grow that food, and that will enhance the hope of Nigerians.”

In his remarks, Mr Gabriel Ayayia, the Founder of LIFEWS Foundation and Author of the book, said the foundation introduced agrivoltaic farming as a new way of farming to promote food sovereignty in the country.

Ayayia said, “What we are promoting today is a new way of farming, which is a climate smart agriculture, climate smart farming. So, instead of just farming in the traditional way, we are thinking of reimagining agricultural practices.

“This technology is just all about integrating solar into farming.

“What we are trying to do for us is about promoting food sovereignty. People having land ownership, people having shared responsibility to take charge of what they can grow, how they can grow it and where they can grow it.

“The one major concern raised here was affordability. Yes, when it comes to affordability, that is why this technology is founded on leadership, which is let’s do it together.

“We realise that we cannot talk about the problems of food insecurity, energy insecurity and water insecurity without bringing stakeholders together.

“So, we need everybody to be part of this conversation. We need everybody to be part of this innovation. So, when we talk about affordability, as a matter of fact, the book we are launching today, Democratic Land and the Sun, is about the rural community.

“How can they afford it if this technology should work and it is going to work? So the question is, how can the government come in to assist? In the U.S, where I’m currently studying, the government comes in to subsidise the cost for solar panels.

“But most importantly, what we are trying to do in essence is to see how we can start manufacturing locally made solar panels that can be very cheap, so that any common farmer can afford to buy it. So, we are looking in that direction.”

The LIFEWS founder said the foundation would first enlighten people on the new technology to see how the technology could be scaled to the rural community.

“And when that happens, hopefully, if the government buys into it, which we are trying to promote, I think it can be very affordable and useful to the rural community.”

Also speaking, Dr Chad Higgins, agrivoltaics Expert from the Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, USA, emphasised the need to manage the sun for plants growth and development

According to Higgins, the sun as the most critical resource for a plant. If you don’t have it, it doesn’t grow.

“So, the sun is a critical resource that must be managed. And there’s so much energy in the sun. it shines on every land. It is a generous resource that we can use and take a portion of it..”