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COP28: Spowdi and ChildFund partner to advance smart farming among small-hold farmers in Africa

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Green tech innovator Spowdi and ChildFund International have joined forces to promote sustainable smart farming among small-hold farmers in Africa. The two organizations have signed a three-year agreement at COP28 to introduce smart farming technologies to tens of thousands of small-hold farmers to enhance food production while using minimal water resources.

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This initiative will kick off with the implementation of a pilot project supporting 250 small-hold farmers in Migori and Nyeri counties in Kenya and later scaled to reach 10,000 farmers within the country, over the next three years. Upon completion of this first phase, this initiative will be replicated in other countries in Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia). ​​​

Through this partnership, farmers will receive equipment and onsite training on how to use smart irrigation technology, comprising of Spowdi’s solar-powered, mobile, water distribution systems “Spowdi Mobile Pro Mk2”, which will also be used for training in micro-irrigation techniques. Spowdi and ChildFund will also establish demonstration sites, testbeds, and training hubs for farmers, trainers, distributors, educationists, and other partners.​​​

“Small-scale farmers are the backbone of our food production systems. Unfortunately, they, just like many other entities, have borne the brunt of climate change. This partnership could not have come at a better time when many communities are reeling from the effects of climate change, manifested by frequent droughts. By adopting Spowdi’s award-winning technology, our farmers will be able to grow more food using less water. This way families will have enough for their consumption and surplus for sale, as they work to build resilient livelihoods that are not always shaken by the effects of climate change,” remarked Chege Ngugi, ChildFund International Africa Regional Director.

“Early into COP28, there was very positive news coming in where food systems transformation was put on the global climate agenda. Now it’s time for action. Spowdi’s technology last-mile distribution has proven to generate 300% more food in up to 80% less water, resulting in higher profitability and better livelihoods. The technology and last-mile distribution helps small-hold farmers to move away from fossil fuels, and reduce the time spent on the field, which can then be used for other socio-economic activities. Importantly, it also empowers communities to be food self-sufficient. At Spowdi, we believe that ChildFund’s commitment and last mile reach, along with Spowdi’s innovation, can enable small-hold farmers to be profitable and resilient Impact Generators,” said Henrik Johansson, CEO of Spowdi.

“With Spowdi’s smart farming app, the impact generated by each small-hold farmer can be mapped and measured, contributing to valuable data on resilient food systems. The gap lies in enabling farmers to adopt the technology, for which we urge climate finance stakeholders to play their part and provide farmers the ‘kick start financing’ needed to become the Impact Generators we all depend on and act on the commitments made here at COP,” Johansson added.

Overall, this project aims to promote food security, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability. In addition, this initiative will tackle the issue of malnutrition that has impeded the growth and development of many children in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

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Statistics from UN 2022 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, indicate that the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet around the world rose to almost 3.1 billion in 2021. The report further indicates that an estimated 45 million children under five years of age suffer from wasting, while 149 million have stunted growth and development due to a chronic lack of nutritious food in their diet. Low- and lower-middle-income economies bear the greatest burden of stunting, wasting low birth weight, and anemia. The right to food and good nutrition for all is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The challenge of malnutrition has ravaged many children, particularly those in rural areas, due to the unreliability of the food supply and in some cases, the complete lack of food. Spowdi and ChildFund are committed to tackling this challenge by empowering small-hold farmers with the necessary tools and knowledge to irrigate their crops effectively, leading to increased yields and a more stable food supply for children and their families.

This announcement comes following both organizations’ engagements at COP28 in Dubai where the role of technology in combating climate change and how to deploy innovative solutions to combat climate change and improve livelihoods for farmers was extensively deliberated on.

While congratulating the two organizations on the signing of this agreement, ChildFund Sweden (Barnfonden) Secretary General Martina Hibell said, “This is such a great example of what we can do when joining hands and finding collaborations across sectors. We are bringing the innovation and technical solution from Spowdi together with the expertise in development work and child rights of ChildFund. We are so happy to make the connection between Swedish innovation and our ChildFund partners in Africa. This collaboration has global capacity, and we look forward to seeing it grow.”

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About Spowdi

Spowdi is a green-tech innovation company that develops solar-powered mobile drip irrigation water distribution systems. This solution supports farmers to increase yields, reduce water usage, and lower carbon dependencies. In addition to the Spowdi Mobile Pro equipment, the start-up also connects small-hold farmers to a Smart Farming app, which provides ag-climate knowledge, tracks progress, and generates data on their impact. The company also emphasizes partnerships, especially with or between NGOs, local communities, and financial institutions.

Find out more at https://spowdi.com/

For press inquiries, contact press@spowdi.com

About ChildFund

Founded in 1938, ChildFund works throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas - including the United States - to connect children with what they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled, and safe, no matter where they are. Last year, we reached 16.2 million children and family members in 24 countries. ChildFund operates in 9 countries in Africa - Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Mozambique.

Find out more at https://www.childfund.org/

For more information, contact: ChildFund International: Maureen Siele, Communications Advisor, Africa Region. MSiele@childfund.org

Tags:

water Nutrition GreenTech ChildFund solarpower small-hold farming spowdi regenerativeagriculture drip irrigation smallhold farmers regenerative farming COP28

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This initiative will kick off with the implementation of a pilot project supporting 250 small-hold farmers in Migori and Nyeri counties in Kenya and later scaled to reach 10,000 farmers within the country, over the next three years. Upon completion of this first phase, this initiative will be replicated in other countries in Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia). ​​​
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Through this partnership, farmers will receive equipment and onsite training on how to use smart irrigation technology, comprising of Spowdi’s solar-powered, mobile, water distribution systems “Spowdi Mobile Pro Mk2”, which will also be used for training in micro-irrigation techniques. Spowdi and ChildFund will also establish demonstration sites, testbeds, and training hubs for farmers, trainers, distributors, educationists, and other partners.​​​
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Quotes

Early into COP28, there was very positive news coming in where food systems transformation was put on the global climate agenda. Now it’s time for action. Spowdi’s technology last-mile distribution has proven to generate 300% more food in up to 80% less water, resulting in higher profitability and better livelihoods. The technology and last-mile distribution helps small-hold farmers to move away from fossil fuels, and reduce the time spent on the field, which can then be used for other socio-economic activities. Importantly, it also empowers communities to be food self-sufficient. At Spowdi, we believe that ChildFund’s commitment and last mile reach, along with Spowdi’s innovation, can enable small-hold farmers to be profitable and resilient Impact Generators. The gap lies in enabling farmers to adopt the technology, for which we urge climate finance stakeholders to play their part and provide farmers the ‘kick start financing’ needed to become the Impact Generators we all depend on and act on the commitments made here at COP.
Henrik Johansson, CEO, Spowdi.
Small-scale farmers are the backbone of our food production systems. Unfortunately, they, just like many other entities, have borne the brunt of climate change. This partnership could not have come at a better time when many communities are reeling from the effects of climate change, manifested by frequent droughts. By adopting Spowdi’s award-winning technology, our farmers will be able to grow more food using less water. This way families will have enough for their consumption and surplus for sale, as they work to build resilient livelihoods that are not always shaken by the effects of climate change.
Chege Ngugi, ChildFund International Africa Regional Director.
This is such a great example of what we can do when joining hands and finding collaborations across sectors. We are bringing the innovation and technical solution from Spowdi together with the expertise in development work and child rights of ChildFund. We are so happy to make the connection between Swedish innovation and our ChildFund partners in Africa. This collaboration has global capacity, and we look forward to seeing it grow.
Martina Hibell, ChildFund Sweden (Barnfonden) Secretary General.