Known as the “water tower of West Africa,” Guinea has some of the most significant agricultural potential in the region. Yet, despite favourable natural conditions for agriculture, yields per hectare are low. These yields also remain well below the level needed to make agriculture the main driver of economic development in the country.
Among the constraints limiting the development of the agricultural sector are: poor farming techniques; a heavy reliance on seasonal rains; poor access to land (especially for women, who represent 53% of the agricultural workforce); poor infrastructure, such as limited road networks and access to electricity in rural areas; and lack of access to concessional financing for smallholder farmers (SHFs) and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). In parallel, climate change threatens food security in Guinea through its impact on water availability, soil degradation and crop loss.
A critical factor in establishing a robust and transformative agricultural sector is ensuring access to modern energy services. Guinea’s current electricity infrastructure is limited in its reach and capacity to supply power to rural, or peri-urban communities, hindering mechanised agricultural activities. In 2022, an estimated 48% of the total population had electricity access, with wide access disparities between the urban areas (91% access rate) and rural areas (21% access rate). SHFs and MSMEs in rural areas often resort to diesel generators to meet their energy needs for agricultural production and processing.
Decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions have the potential to transform Guinea’s agriculture sector, enhancing productivity and sustainability, while contributing to the achievement of the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These aim for 80% of electricity generation to come from renewable sources by 2030, while also putting the agricultural sector on a carbon-neutral path by 2050.
Within the overarching framework of IRENA’s Empowering Lives and Livelihoods Initiative, this study assesses the market potential for the integration of DRE solutions in powering Guinea’s agri-food value chain. The methodology used in the assessment was designed to focus on commercially viable DRE technologies that specifically target commercial SHFs. It follows a country-led participative and inclusive approach in selecting three agricultural value chains, each of which is in line with Guinea’s strategic priorities. These are rice, maize and vegetables, as these are the crops most cultivated by Guinea’s SHFs. They also represent significant market value and have potential in bolstering the country’s food security.
The key findings of the study can be summarised as follows:
- Access to electricity:
For SHFs in rural areas, access to electricity is limited. Only 6% of the farmers surveyed had access, mainly through diesel gensets and solar home systems. - Access to credit:
For SHFs and MSMEs in Guinea, there is limited access to commercial credit. The percentage of SHFs surveyed who reported having had access to commercial credit was only 1%. - Agricultural production and access to land:
The most cultivated crops in the agricultural zones surveyed were rice, vegetables and maize. Female SHFs accounted for 40% of the workforce in maize production, 35% in horticulture production and 23% in rice farming. In terms of access to land, 30% of surveyed SHFs owned the land they farmed, 50% borrowed land from other SHFs, and 20% rented the land on a short-term basis. Land preparation was overwhelmingly done manually. - Access to energy technologies for agricultural production and processing:
Solar water pumps: Only 1% of the farmers surveyed had access to water pumps for irrigation, with these almost exclusively diesel-powered. Access to solar PV pumps was very limited, due to low awareness of solar PV technologies and high capital costs. Up to 70% of SHFs without water pumps reported high costs as the primary deterrent. Notwithstanding this, 88% of SHFs said they were willing to acquire solar water pumps, with 86% of these SHFs willing to pay – in United States dollar (USD) terms – between USD 100 and USD 300 for a pump. Up to 82% of the surveyed SHFs indicated a willingness to take out a loan to finance a solar water pump.
Solar refrigeration units: Only 1% of the SHFs surveyed owned a refrigerator (capacities ranged between 50 litres and 100 litres). These were mostly genset-powered, with a few powered by solar PV. While high capital costs and low awareness were cited as the key deterrents, 81% of the SHFs interviewed were willing to acquire a solar refrigeration unit, with 79% of these farmers willing to pay between USD 100 and USD 300.
Solar PV milling: Up to 82% of the milling service businesses surveyed were diesel-powered. While awareness of solar PV-powered milling technologies was low, 86% of the milling businesses showed a willingness to acquire this technology, with a willingness to pay between USD 500 and USD 1 000 towards this. Up to 92% of the businesses surveyed were willing to take out a loan to cover the full cost of the solar PV milling technology to replace dieselbased mills. - The addressable market potential of DRE solutions:
The estimated total addressable market potential for solar water pumps in Guinea was USD 60.4 million. For solar refrigeration units, it was USD 50.7 million, and for solar milling equipment, USD 13.4 million, at baseline willingness-to-buy levels of 88%, 81% and 86%, respectively. A sensitivity analysis shows that the maximum addressable market potential for solar water pumps is approximately USD 90 million, which considers the maximum willingness-to-pay of USD 300 per commercial SHF. Putting in place policies, regulations and facilitating access to appropriate financial mechanisms is key to accelerating the potential penetration of solar water pumps in Guinea’s agriculture sector.
For solar refrigeration units in the vegetables value chain, the estimated market potential ranged from USD 25 million to USD 76 million at the baseline willingness-to-pay of 81% of surveyed commercial farmers. The actual market potential for solar refrigeration units may eventually be bigger, however, as corner shops and boutiques were not considered in the analysis, due to data limitations.
For MSMEs, the estimated market potential for solar PV milling equipment ranged between USD 8.9 million and USD 17.8 million at the baseline willingness-to-buy of 86%.
Recommendations for boosting DRE uptake in Guinea’s agriculture sector
Drawing on the findings of the study, this report presents several key, recommended priority actions. These are to be implemented in the short-to-medium term in order to accelerate the integration of DRE into Guinea’s agri-food value chains. The recommendations are categorised into three areas, as follows:
Market development actions:
- Develop a programme plan for a results-based finance (RBF) subsidy delivery mechanism for DRE focusing on solar water pumps for SHFs and solar refrigeration units for the storage of perishable products.
- Develop a plan for a research and development (R&D) mechanism in the delivery of grants in support of the development of fee-for-service DRE business models. These include walk-in-cold-rooms and small-sized solar milling services.
- Design and deliver a demand stimulation campaign, with events, exhibitions, media campaigns and roadshows.
- Enhance the capacity and skills of the off-grid sector for all involved players through training, education and awareness raising.
Excerpt of: IRENA (2025), Decentralised renewable energy for powering agri-food value chains in the Republic of Guinea, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi.