Former Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Dr Charles Nyaaba, has called on banks and other financial institutions to design green‑financing products that enable farmers to swap fuel‑powered irrigation systems for solar‑powered alternatives. Speaking at the Ecobank‑JoyBusiness Financial Dialogue Series, he highlighted the mounting fuel costs and shifting weather patterns that are pushing more farmers to rely on irrigation, especially during the off‑season.
Dr Nyaaba noted that many smallholder farmers still use ordinary water pumping machines powered by fuel, a practice that significantly raises production costs. He argued that moving to solar‑powered irrigation could reduce these costs while also cutting carbon emissions from agricultural activities. “What kind of support system can we put in place for these farmers who use ordinary water pumping machines to now begin to use solar‑powered pumping machines, renewable energy?” he asked.
The former PFA director stressed that the urgency of such interventions has grown as farmers increasingly shift production to the off‑season in response to changing weather conditions. Access to affordable renewable energy, he said, would help farmers sustain production and lessen their dependence on fuel. He urged banks to consider agricultural financing products specifically designed to support investments in renewable energy technologies.
Dr Nyaaba emphasized that green financing should not be limited to large businesses and projects but must also reach smallholder farmers, who make up a significant portion of Ghana’s agricultural sector. He believes that financing solar‑powered irrigation could simultaneously address production costs, climate‑related challenges and the country’s broader transition towards more sustainable agricultural practices.
