The German Development Cooperation (GIZ) has trained 12 lecturers from three Universities in Ghana to become facilitators for professional installers, technicians, credit officers and agricultural extension officers on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS).
The training, which took place at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, was done following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between GIZ and University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) as well as Ho Technical University (HTU) as partner Universities.
The lecturers were given both theoretical and practical training on how to install and maintain Solar Irrigation Systems to ensure that a farmer could irrigate his or her crops at any remote location without being connected to the national electricity grid.
The theoretical training was provided by two Trainers from Practica Foundation, whilst the practical part was done on a UENR site, where a demonstrational pumping unit powers different irrigation technologies. The trainers pointed out that the experienced lecturers from the three partner universities, shared and upgraded their practical skills.
One of the Trainees, Dr. Lydia Kwoyiga, a lecturer from UDS, Tamale stated that the training would go a long way to equip them with know-how to train other experts in the field of solar irrigation and enhance participation of female professionals in the field.
Commenting on the training, Dr. Eric Ofosu Antwi, Director of Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES) at UENR expressed gratitude and applauded GIZ for the initiative to train and improve the capacity of partner universities for the provision of training in solar irrigation in the country.
Background
The GIZ and Ministry of Energy (MoEn) are implementing a project dubbed, “Green People’s Energy”, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to improve access to electricity, particularly for rural regions.
In implementing the project, one key output, was to build capacity in solar powered irrigation system. Hence, the University from Tamale, Sunyani and Ho were selected in collaboration with MoEn, to train professionals like technicians, agricultural extension staff and credit officers across the country.
The training of the facilitators, in Sunyani was done by Practica Foundation, Netherlands, jointly with MDF West Africa both contracted by GIZ.
Additionally, GIZ has deployed demo Solar Powered Irrigation Systems to campuses of the three selected universities for the provision of practical hands-on training in SPIS.
The Solar Powered Irrigation Systems, when installed on farms will support year-round farming at an extremely lower operating cost and thus giving farmers more profit. Additionally, the SPIS does not require fuel which pollutes the environment.
