OVO Solar: Empowering Smallholder Farmers by Developing an Off-Grid Solar Egg Incubator
With funding from Efficiency for Access's Research and Development Fund, OVO Solar is aiming to empower smallholder farmers by providing affordable products that will help break the cycle of poverty.
Smallholder farmers living in the Global South produce up to one third of the world’s food, and changing temperatures – driven by climate change – can impact many elements of farming, including poultry egg fertilisation.
As the off-grid solar market expands, the range of products is diversifying from small household systems to solar-powered agricultural appliances. This transition empowers smallholder farmers by boosting their production and income. Solar-powered livestock appliances, in particular, can significantly enhance productivity and food security. They provide a stable, diversified income source, which is crucial as climate change increasingly affects seasonal crops.
In 2020, the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund supported OVO in refining its solar-powered egg incubator. This affordable, PAYG-enabled solution helps smallholder farmers raise more chickens, increase income, enhance food security, and improve resilience to climate change.