New solar water system cuts labour costs for farmers

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As climate change continues to alter weather patterns, many Ugandan farmers are turning away from rain-fed agriculture and embracing irrigation to secure their yields. However, while irrigation promises a consistent water supply, it often comes with high labour demands and operational costs, especially in conventional systems that require constant human supervision.

Now, a new solar-powered remote monitoring system could revolutionise how irrigation is managed, dramatically cutting down the need for labour while improving efficiency.

The innovation, unveiled at the National Science Week at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala city last week, was developed by Innovex Uganda Ltd, working under the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Secretariat in the Office of the President, headed by science minister Dr Monica Musenero. It is being piloted at the Deep Tech Centre of Excellence in Namanve.

“This system can be embedded in solar-powered appliances and connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) platform,” Maria Namatovu, the programme associate officer at Innovex Uganda, said.

Mary Namatovu demonstrates the technology used by an automatic water pump during the Science Week exhibition at Kololo Independence Ground Kampala. (Photo by Ronnie Kijjambu)

“It allows farmers to remotely control water flow, monitor how much water is being pumped per minute, and conduct predictive maintenance.”

The system automates irrigation processes, ensuring optimal water distribution and alerting users when equipment requires servicing—functions that traditionally required several workers to perform manually.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of physical devices embedded with sensors and software that collect and exchange data over the internet. In agriculture, IoT remote monitoring allows farmers to detect problems before they arise, track water usage in real-time, and optimise operations from anywhere.

“This reduces downtime and improves turnaround,” Namatovu said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution because we customise units depending on each client’s needs in our labs at the Deep Tech Centre.”

Unlike imported systems, the Innovex solution is locally manufactured and tailored to Uganda’s farming conditions.

“That makes it more affordable,” Namatovu said. “We are not just copying existing technologies; we are doing research and development based on our country’s specific challenges.”

The innovation comes at a time when the Government is scaling up micro-scale irrigation programmes to improve productivity and farmer incomes. Under the initiative, the Government contributes between 25% and 75% of the irrigation equipment cost, with a cap of shillings 7.2 million per acre. The support level depends on factors such as proximity to water sources, terrain, soil type, and land size.

The microscale irrigation programme is part of Uganda’s National Irrigation Policy, which aims to bring 1.5 million hectares of land under irrigation by 2040.

Homegrown ideas

Over 300 Ugandan innovators exhibited their work at the National Science Week, which ran from June 15 to 20, 2025. The event showcased Uganda’s progress in turning homegrown ideas into market-ready solutions.

Minister Musenero used the occasion to highlight progress in Uganda’s goal of expanding its economy through science and innovation. She said Uganda is developing two vaccines: For Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever and Rift Valley Fever, leveraging expertise gained during COVID-19 vaccine development at the Uganda Virus Research Institute.

“This work has attracted £6 million in funding from development partners,” she said. Uganda now has a vaccine manufacturing facility at Alfasan Uganda, approved by the National Drug Authority for Phase II clinical trials of an anti-tick vaccine.

In the mobility sector, Musenero said the Government aims to build a $12.5 billion mobility ecosystem by 2040. Construction and tooling of the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja is now complete. The plant has an initial capacity of 2,500 buses annually, with plans to scale up to 5,000 units according to the minister.

“Thirty-nine electric buses are already on the road, with 30 more in production,” she said. “Our electric buses now cover up to 500 kilometres per charge and have logged over 615,000 kilometres across Africa—making them among the most advanced on the continent.”

Speaking at the event, Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, revealed that over 10,000 investments were registered in Uganda between 2023 and 2024, citing data from the Uganda Investment Authority.

However, she expressed concern that despite government efforts to streamline the investment process, corruption remains a major challenge. She said her office received 942 complaints over the past year from distressed investors and innovators, many of whom faced delays caused by corrupt officials.

One of the common hurdles, she noted, is in the copyright application process, where innovators are often frustrated by red tape or bureaucratic exploitation. “Some innovators delay applying for copyright, which exposes them to the risk of losing their ideas to unscrupulous individuals,” she warned.

“We cannot promise that every application will result in a copyright, but what we can and must guarantee is a fast and transparent process,” Nakalema said. “Our job is to ensure that investors, innovators, and all wealth creators are not delayed by government systems.”