As climate change continues to reshape how communities live, farm, and sustain their livelihoods, innovation against negative climate impacts has become a matter of survival for most vulnerable agricultural communities practicing rain-fed agriculture and pastoralists. At the Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI), we believe that resilience begins from the ground up, with farmers, families, and communities empowered to adapt, innovate, and thrive. Supporting smallholder farmers to build climate-resilient livelihoods remains one of HESPI’s core priorities in the region.

One of our core areas of focus is highland agriculturalists which depend on rain-fed farming for their food security and generating household income. HESPI supports such farmers withstand the economic and environmental shocks intensified by climate change. This year (2025), our mission has reached new heights in Ethiopia and Somalia, where HESPI has introduced and scaled up solar-powered irrigation technologies. This clean, sustainable solution is transforming food production and livelihoods.

With the generous financial support through the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) under the Strengthening African Leadership on Climate Adaptation (SALCA) program, HESPI implemented a pilot solar-powered irrigation scheme in Nifas Silk Lafto and Lemi Kura areas of central Ethiopia, in collaboration with the respective Farmers’ and Agriculture Development Bureaus of the government. Two fully equipped solar-powered irrigation systems were procured and installed to provide dry-season irrigation for approximately 60 smallholder farmers in Central Ethiopia.

In replacing costly and polluting fuel-based irrigation water pumps, these farmers now use renewable solar energy to draw irrigation water from nearby rivers. This simple yet transformative shift enables continuous high-value crop production even during dry spells, reduces carbon emissions, lowers production costs, and protects the environment. The technology is affordable, reliable, and easy to operate, empowering households to cultivate high-value vegetables and market-demanded crops that enhance both income and food security throughout the year.

What began as a small pilot with a few pioneering farmers is now rapidly expanding. HESPI, in close partnership with local government agriculture bureaus, has transformed these early adopters into living farmers-field school and demonstration sites where innovation meets experience. Through peer learning platforms, farmers share success stories, best practices, and lessons learned, inspiring others to embrace solar-powered agriculture. This community-to-community learning model is accelerating the spread of sustainable farming solutions and nurturing a culture of innovation across urban communities.

This initiative is closely aligned with Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, which promotes climate-smart development, low-carbon growth, and the restoration of degraded ecosystems through reforestation and sustainable land management. In that sense, it directly supports Ethiopia’s vision of a green and resilient economy, fostering inclusive growth, resource efficiency, and environmental stewardship. Together, we are not only strengthening livelihoods and enhancing adaptive capacity but also contributing to a broader national and global movement for sustainability, climate action, and resilience, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the SALCA catalytic program ambition in the continent.