The Mott Foundation, a private foundation based in the U.S., is set to introduce a $3 million initiative called Distributed Renewable Energy Ecosystem Model (DREEM) within Uganda's AgriSolar sector. This initiative aims to harness solar energy for agricultural purposes and address energy access challenges through collaboration among ecosystem builders. The DREEM hub will focus on overcoming technical expertise limitations, fostering local entrepreneurship, improving access to financial services, enhancing coordination, and ultimately, positively impacting community livelihoods. The goal is to maximize opportunities in the demand and supply chain to facilitate the development, deployment, financing, sale, and maintenance of solar technologies for smallholder farmers.
Uganda is poised to embrace renewable energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, with significant solar electricity potential. Over two-thirds of the country's population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods, making solar-powered irrigation a valuable addition to the agricultural landscape. DREEM represents a crucial step toward creating an enabling environment for solar innovators, promoting sustainable energy, and addressing financing challenges within key agricultural value chains.