Mbale farmers to benefit from Shs 900M solar irrigation project

11 March 2025, 7:35 am

By Humble Felix Mayatsa

The Ministry of Water and Environment has handed over a site to Nexus Green Limited for the construction of a solar irrigation scheme project to help farmers have a constant water supply.

The handover, which happened over the weekend in Namanyonyi-Nankusi cell, Mbale city, saw a number of local leaders and several stakeholders from the Ministry of Water and Environment, as well as Nexus Green Limited, grace the function attended by area residents and farmers.

Eng. Moses Mugerwa, a senior engineer in the Ministry of Water and Environment under the Water for Production Department, says the project, which will cost over Shs 900M, will be constructed on 12 acres of land, with its completion expected to be in five months. He noted that the first phase of the project construction will include setting up an intake structure that will have water extracted from the Namatala River to a reservoir in three steel tanks. The water will then be distributed to the gardens by gravity using a combined hybrid system of sprinkler and drip irrigation.

“The technology is a bit improved, and it will deliver enough water to the crops, and it is also very flexible, which will be effective for the farmers,” said Eng. Moses.

Hamza Banja, Deputy RCC Industrial Division, Mbale city, says this project will be instrumental in helping local farmers plant their crops and tend to their gardens throughout the dry spell. He extended a vote of thanks to the Ministry of Water and Environment, as well as the implementing partners from Nexus Green Limited, for the initiative, noting that the project has long been waited for, and this is the best time to have it running.

“Hajji Kamulegeya lobbied for this project, and we are happy that it’s getting started right away because the dry spell has affected many farmers. We are done with the site handover, and the contractor will do this in the fastest way possible. I am sure we shall be back here again to launch it very soon,” said Hamza.

Hajji Kamulegeya Siraj, a farmer and resident, says dry spells had frustrated many of them, which necessitated an operational solar irrigation system to enable them to have a constant water flow into their crops, gardens, and nursery beds. Hajji Kamulegeya says the generator water pumps they have been previously using have not helped them enough, as little water was being extracted and supplied into the gardens.

Over 20 farmers are expected to directly benefit from this project, with the numbers expected to increase as more capacity is built. Similar projects, which have recently been handed over to contractors for construction, include the Bujibuni Solar Powered Irrigation Project in Sironko district, while three other solar-powered irrigation projects are undergoing construction in the Bugisu subregion, like Kabokani Solar Powered Irrigation in Sironko district, Puwa Solar Powered Irrigation Project in Manafwa district, and Bunakhaima Solar Powered Irrigation Project in Manafwa district.