- New platform aims to unlock finance and accelerate agrivoltaics deployment across African markets.
- Stakeholders highlight need to structure agrivoltaics as a bankable asset class.
- Blended finance facility and project pipeline development identified as immediate priorities.
Stakeholders from the energy, agriculture and finance sectors convened in Paris on April 10 to launch the African Agrivoltaics Platform Initiative, a coordinated effort to scale co located solar and agricultural systems across the continent.
The initiative was introduced during a workshop at OECD headquarters, convened by the Consortium for Sustainable Agrivoltaics Foundation, the OECD Development Centre, Akademiya2063 and the UN Joint SDG Fund. The event brought together governments, development finance institutions, investors and private sector participants to align on a common framework for agrivoltaics deployment.
The platform targets persistent barriers to scale, including constrained access to finance, regulatory uncertainty, weak project pipelines and limited technical data and capacity.
Participants noted that while agrivoltaics is gaining traction globally, deployment across Africa remains nascent. Pilot projects indicate strong potential to improve land use efficiency, enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen climate resilience and expand distributed solar generation. However, converting these outcomes into bankable projects remains a key constraint.
A central focus of the discussions was the need to position agrivoltaics as an investable asset class. This includes standardising project models, strengthening data on agronomic and energy performance and aligning system design with local farming practices and market conditions.
A proposal to establish a blended finance facility dedicated to agrivoltaics in Africa gained traction during the workshop. The facility would support early stage development, provide risk mitigation instruments and mobilise private capital alongside public and concessional funding.
The African Development Bank signalled support for the initiative, highlighting agrivoltaics as aligned with efforts to expand energy access and strengthen the food energy water nexus across the continent.
The platform is structured to support governments in developing enabling policy frameworks while coordinating with private and development partners. Three working groups will focus on evidence and capacity building, project finance and agri solar business development. A key objective is to build a pipeline of bankable projects across diverse agro ecological zones, supported by concessional finance, improved data, technical standards and local capacity development.
Government representatives indicated interest in aligning agrivoltaics with national and regional priorities, including food security strategies, energy transition plans and climate commitments. Chris Hegadorn highlighted the vulnerability of African markets to global supply shocks, referencing the impact of disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, and underscored the role agrivoltaics can play in strengthening food and energy sovereignty.
The launch also saw multiple partnerships announced across training, research and early stage project development. These include planned training programmes in West and East Africa, collaboration on technical guidelines and evidence generation, and initial project development activities in several countries.
Private sector participants expressed interest in contributing to project pipelines and participating in working groups, with discussions also exploring the creation of dedicated investment vehicles, including a potential venture capital fund focused on agrivoltaics opportunities.
The initiative builds on growing international policy momentum, including commitments made during the G7 Summit Pescara 2024 to support agrivoltaics partnerships with Africa. Stakeholders called for accelerated implementation ahead of upcoming engagements such as the France-Africa Summit 2026 and the G7 Summit in France.
The platform will now move to formalise its governance structures, activate working groups and expand participation among African governments and financial partners. Resource mobilisation and project pipeline development are expected to be immediate priorities.
For developers and investors, delivery will hinge on translating coordination into execution, particularly in structuring projects that meet both agricultural and energy performance requirements while achieving commercial viability.
The launch signals a shift toward more structured market development for agrivoltaics in Africa, with a focus on standardisation, financing mechanisms and scalable project pipelines.
Enquiries on the Platform can be directed to: Consortium4SA@gmail.com
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
