Kenya’s tea industry is turning to renewable energy and efficiency upgrades as rising power costs and tightening wood fuel supplies strain the economics of processing one of the country’s most important export crops.

Kenya has begun work on a US$5 million irrigation modernisation project in Kisumu County aimed at expanding rice production and improving energy efficiency at the Ahero irrigation scheme, one of the country’s key rice-growing regions.

Much of the problem lies in institutional structure and decision-making. Kenya has strong laws and policy frameworks on paper. In practice, however, implementation is undercut by limited resources, political interests, and inconsistent execution.

“With the pilot project carried out in 266 schools complete, we are now going to roll out the programme. In the next one year or so, we should have solarized all our schools,” he stated. He also addressed concerns about excess power generated during school holidays, directing the Ministry of Energy to ensure the electricity is fed into the grid.

The awards honoured businesses addressing some of Africa’s most urgent social and economic issues. The winners were revealed at the 13th Africa Summit, which brought together over 1,000 experts, world leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and startups from more than 50 nations.

Kenya’s energy and capital markets are changing in ways that quietly shape daily life, from how phones stay connected in remote areas to how investors think about risk and return. As the country deepens its commitment to clean power, green finance is emerging as a practical tool to fund that transition at scale.

Farmers will soon be able to lease or purchase solar-powered irrigation systems through flexible payment plans under a new government-backed programme aimed at reducing reliance on rainfall and boosting crop production.