As Africa battles the twin crises of climate change and food insecurity, innovators like SunCulture are not just building better tools- they are helping rewrite the future of farming. With every solar pump installed and every drop of water used wisely, a new story unfolds: one where technology, sustainability, and resilience grow side by side.
Co-creation feature by Ethical Business, sponsored by SunCulture
By the time Maurice Owino, a smallholder farmer in Siaya County, Kenya, had finished repaying her loan for a solar-powered irrigation system, she had done more than increase her harvests – he had transformed her life. With more crops, more income, and less time spent hauling water, he was able to reinvest in his farm and even save money for the first time.
His story is not an exception. It is part of a quiet revolution happening across Africa – one powered by the sun and driven by a bold climate-tech startup called SunCulture.
Tackling agriculture’s toughest challenge
Founded in 2013 by Samir Ibrahim and Charles Nichols, SunCulture emerged from a mission to address one of Africa’s biggest and most persistent problems: how to boost productivity among the continent’s 570 million smallholder farmers. In Kenya alone, 75% of the workforce relies on agriculture, yet only 4% of arable land is irrigated. Most farmers remain at the mercy of unpredictable rains, vulnerable to failed harvests and climate shocks.
“Many farmers are just one bad rainy season away from financial ruin,” Samir explains.
“That’s the reality we’re working to change.”
Game-changing innovation: Rainmaker system
SunCulture’s breakthrough came with the launch of RainMaker, an affordable, solar-powered irrigation system that runs entirely off-grid; no diesel, no wires. With a cost of about $500 -nearly 90% less than traditional systems – RainMaker is mobile, easy to install, and integrated with ClimateSmart™ IoT technology.
Beyond watering crops, the system collects and analyses real-time data on weather, soil moisture, and system performance, giving farmers powerful insights and remote monitoring tools. The result? Smart farms that are not only more productive but more resilient.
Financing growth with the pay-as-you-grow model
For farmers like Owino, access to such technology is made possible by SunCulture’s Pay-As-You-Grow financing model. Customers can pay as little as $1.25 per day, using the very system that increases their yields and income. Paired with training and agronomy support, SunCulture doesn’t just sell products- it becomes a trusted partner in growth.
“We aim to be a one-stop shop for farmer success,” says Samir.
“Irrigation is just the starting point. We’re building an ecosystem where solar energy, precision agriculture, and financial inclusion converge.”
Numbers behind the impact
Since shifting to its low-cost product line in 2019, SunCulture has sold more units than in all previous years combined. Today, it holds the largest market share in solar irrigation for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Between 2017 and 2021 alone, SunCulture’s systems helped prevent over 67 million liters of diesel and petrol from being used. By 2030, the company projects it will help avoid more than 3 million tons of CO₂ emissions.
New era of strategic partnerships: IWMI x SunCulture
This year, SunCulture took a bold step further by partnering with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to ensure solar irrigation growth is sustainable for generations to come. While solar irrigation holds tremendous promise—increasing productivity and reducing fossil fuel reliance – it also poses a risk of over-abstraction of water resources if not properly managed.
Launched in February 2025 in Nairobi, the SunCulture-IWMI partnership brings together cutting-edge technology and water science expertise. Two months in, the collaboration has already developed preliminary irrigation guidelines and a conceptual framework for a national water strategy, co-created with key Kenyan stakeholders.
“IWMI and SunCulture will jointly champion the sustainable use of solar-powered irrigation,” said Abdulkarim Seid, IWMI’s Regional Representative for East Africa.
“At IWMI, we believe that partnerships amplify impact – what we can achieve together far exceeds what any of us could do alone.”
Focus areas of the partnership:
- Water Risk Management: IWMI’s risk assessment framework will help SunCulture navigate environmental risks while optimizing water usage.
- Water Monitoring Tools: Using the SIWA+ methodology, IWMI will track water abstraction levels and define sustainable usage limits.
- Guided Best Practices: Irrigation guidelines will be developed based on local climate, cropping patterns, and soil conditions.
- Long-Term Water Strategy: A codesigned strategy aligning SunCulture’s operations with national environmental goals.
This collaboration, backed by technical assistance funding from InfraCo Africa and the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), reflects a growing ecosystem of support for responsible innovation in agriculture.
“For SunCulture, this partnership isn’t just a research exercise – it’s about real impact,” Samir affirms.
“It’s about aligning our operations with sustainability, equipping farmers with tools to use water wisely, and ensuring that growth and stewardship go hand in hand.”
Innovation beyond irrigation
SunCulture’s innovation doesn’t stop at the farm. The company is now piloting solar pressure cookers that run on the same solar infrastructure as the irrigation systems. These cookers reduce reliance on firewood, improve air quality, and make meal prep faster and safer.
“We’re not just solving one problem,” Samir explains.
“We’re looking at the full picture: energy, food, income, climate. They’re all connected.”
Leading with purpose, built to scale
Samir’s journey – from a PwC consultant in New York to the CEO of one of Africa’s most impactful climate-tech companies – is deeply personal. His family emigrated from East Africa to the U.S. with little, instilling in him a strong sense of both opportunity and responsibility.
“I realised I had a duty to give back. But I also saw a chance to build something that could scale, solve big problems, and still be financially sustainable.”
But he is also candid about the personal cost.
“Entrepreneurship, especially climate entrepreneurship, is a lifetime of service,” Samir says.
“You have to take care of yourself, sleep, eat well, stay grounded, because the people you serve depend on you showing up.”
Future of farming is bright
Today, SunCulture represents more than just a tech solution. It embodies a vision where technology, affordability, and community engagement converge to redefine what is possible for smallholder farmers across Africa.
Its partnership with IWMI signals a turning point in how the private and research sectors can collaborate for impact – ensuring that solar-powered farming is not only productive but also environmentally sustainable.
“Sunny days are truly ahead,” Samir reflects.
“Not just for SunCulture, but for every farmer we serve. This is about resilience, dignity, and the right to thrive.”
As climate volatility continues to test Africa’s agricultural backbone, scalable, clean, and intelligent solutions like SunCulture’s are no longer optional; they are essential. And thanks to innovations rooted in empathy, science, and partnerships, a new agricultural future is already being sown – one sunbeam at a time.
This co-creation feature is part of Ethical Business’s series on climate technology and sustainable innovation in Africa, proudly supported by SunCulture.
