The Abundance Initiative
Productive Use of Renewable Energy for Poverty Alleviation in
Kyenjojo District, Uganda & Beyond
The Abundance Initiative is a flagship model of sustainable community development being rolled out by Gigawatt Global, a founding partner of the U.S. PowerAfrica program, and Gigawatt Impact, with our partners. Following our successful utility-scale solar fields in East Africa, Abundance will be locally-led and operated, in conjunction with community leaders and several regional NGOs. Our goal is to transform rural economies in Africa through the productive-use of energy, aiming to promote agro-industrialization for small-holder farmers. Piloted in Kyenjojo District, Western Uganda, the Abundance Initiative combines a 20MW solar field with an onsite, community-based and -operated processing center of agricultural excellence. Our aim is to triple or even quadruple small-farmer income through our solar-powered facilities.
Following an endorsement from the Vice President of Uganda and ministerial support, Gigawatt embedded its director of the Abundance Initiative in Uganda for three months. A needs assessment was conducted with the local community to tailor the model to the agricultural needs of Kyenjojo District. One hundred acres of land has been acquired for the project, which will house the 20 MW solar photovoltaic field, an agro-industrial processing center, a model sustainable farm, and several capacity-building extension services. Gigawatt is engaging in a Joint Implementation Agreement with Uganda’s Ministry of Energy, and has already signed an MOU with the UN Industrial Development Organization’s East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Efficiency. Together, we intend to apply to international agencies for funding of up to $40 million of blended and impact investment financing. Having already invested $800k in its initial development, we are seeking project preparation funds for this pre-development phase to bring us to financial close and begin construction.
Uganda is home to almost 50% of East Africa’s arable land. Currently, farmers in Western Uganda face significant post-harvest loss and a significant reduction of commodity value. Largely, this is due to a lack of access to reliable energy and to post-harvest handling technology. Over 80% of Ugandans are not linked to the national grid, and 90% of the residents of rural Kyenjojo District are farmers. The Abundance model utilizes the productive use of utility-scale solar technology to power grassroots agro-industrialization services, making them accessible to rural African communities.
In Uganda, small-holder farmers are entirely cut out of the agricultural value chain; nearly every farmer in Kyenjojo sells their entire harvested field to an “aggregator,” who prepares and processes the crop for market sale. Farmers put in the dedication and risk, while middlemen extract the value and sell to regional and international markets. Access to energy, if used productively, will revolutionize the small-holder agricultural economy in Kyenjojo.
The Abundance Center will serve as a community center for farmers to mill, dry, roast, refrigerate, store, and process their crops at harvest. Focusing on value-addition services and safe storage, Abundance will be able to exponentially multiply the household income of small-holder farmers. By preserving crops, processing them into high quality commodities, and providing farmers with export services such as packaging, branding, quality control testing and marketing, Abundance will connect farmers and their products directly to markets and customers.
The Abundance Center of Agricultural Excellence will use renewable energy to empower farmers in hard-to-reach communities. At the Abundance Center, farmers will access training in best agronomic practices, affordable solar-powered water pump technology, inter-farmer knowledge transfer & skills trainings, seed exchanges, soil enhancing inputs, and cold refrigeration. Abundance will be a one-stop-shop for community-centered economic development and accessible agro-industrialization, powered by solar energy for a stronger and more resilient future. This pilot Abundance Center is anchored by two local NGOs – Bringing Hope to the Families and Noah’s Ark – and under the patronage of Honorable Faith Kunihira, with the support of Thin-Space Africa. The second stage of development is sponsored by the Livelihood Impact Fund.
