Uganda equips farmers with solar power to reduce losses
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Observer
Uganda and Heifer International are deploying solar equipment for irrigation, milk refrigeration and crop drying through the DREEM Hub project to limit losses among rural farmers without reliable electricity. At the launch of the annual DREEM conference in Kampala, Energy Commissioner Brian Isabirye confirmed that the government is prioritising solar power for off-grid farming communities.
Uganda loses up to 40% of its agricultural production after harvest, notably because of a lack of storage, drying and refrigeration facilities, Brian E. Isabirye, Commissioner for Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, said at the 2026 annual DREEM project conference in Kampala, The Observer reports.
The Ugandan government and Heifer International are developing, through the Distributed Renewable Energy Ecosystem Model (DREEM) Hub Project, solar equipment for irrigation, milk cooling, drying, storage and processing of agricultural products. The system notably targets rural communities that depend on expensive diesel generators or are not connected to the electricity grid, according to The Observer.
Isabirye said off-grid solutions are prioritised in remote farming areas, where extending the national grid can be lengthy or costly. He cited the livestock corridor, where access to reliable electricity should make it possible to preserve milk and other agricultural products.
The DREEM project differs from conventional rural electrification programmes by directing access to energy towards income-generating activities. Uganda’s national electrification strategy notably provides for the extension of existing lines, local mini-grids and standalone solar systems, according to The Observer.
