Solar energy: ANER wants to reduce agricultural production costs

The National Agency for Renewable Energies (ANER) aims to accelerate the adoption of solar photovoltaic pumping in rural areas. Faced with rising electricity and fuel costs, ANER is relying on solar photovoltaic energy to sustainably reduce agricultural production costs.

To this end, ANER organised a workshop in Diama, in the Saint-Louis region, dedicated to the development of solar pumping, with the participation of administrative and territorial authorities, producers and several technical and financial partners.

According to the Director General of ANER, Professor Diouma Kobor, the primary objective is to enable producers to reduce their production costs, particularly those related to access to water. "The main objective of this workshop is to consider ways to support agricultural producers in reducing their production costs, especially by facilitating their access to water," he explained.

According to the official, the cost of energy is now a determining factor in the competitiveness of local production. He believes that difficulties related to water pumping and access to electricity increase the production cost of agricultural products and complicate their competition with imported products.

Solar power to improve competitiveness

ANER thus intends to rely on photovoltaic solar power, presented as a solution to reduce the energy costs of agricultural operations.

"We have understood and we know today that the least expensive energy production technology is, of course, solar photovoltaic," said Professor Kobor.

The Director General of ANER also emphasizes the importance of the sunshine that Senegal enjoys, an asset which, according to him, can be further exploited to support agricultural development.

Beyond cost reduction, this strategy also aims to contribute to reducing disparities in access to energy between rural and urban areas.

Equipment without initial investment

One of the main obstacles to the development of solar energy in rural areas, according to ANER, remains the cost of initial investment. To address this, the agency wants to establish a mechanism allowing producers to access equipment without having to raise funds upfront.

The principle is to offer a monthly payment system tailored to the current energy expenses of operators. "We want to ensure that what producers pay each month, whether for electricity from SENELEC or for fuel, is less than their current expenses," explained the Director General of ANER.

This formula should allow farmers to gradually switch to solar pumping while controlling their operating costs.

Several billion CFA francs mobilized

To achieve this ambition, ANER relies on the support of several international partners. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is among the program's main supporters.

According to Professor Diouma Kobor, ISA has agreed to support the agency in a program involving the installation of 2,000 to 2,500 solar pumps. GIZ is also among the partners involved, along with other donors called upon to contribute to the program's financing.

The Saint-Louis region is a priority target for ANER due to its significant agricultural potential and irrigation needs.

Through this initiative, the agency aims to promote producers' access to cheaper energy, improve the competitiveness of local agriculture and gradually reduce the energy gap between rural and urban areas.

Babacar SENE (correspondent) Saint-Louis)