“Solar Farm Project” in Africa

《Industry-Academia & Co-Creation with Africa》

The Solar Farm Concept

Collaborating with SAKATA Izumi｜OSA Japan and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT)

We propose a multi-layered solution that integrates agriculture, energy, and robotics to address both urban and rural challenges.

At the heart of this concept is a solar-powered agricultural system that supports:

Weed control and soil rehabilitation without chemical inputs
Precision farming through field monitoring by SYN-ROBOTICS
Energy self-sufficiency for farms using photovoltaic panels
Local job creation and technological upskilling

SYN-ROBOTICS reduces labor intensity by performing weeding, pruning, seeding, and monitoring tasks, enabling sustainable agriculture even in harsh environments.

発電農園コンセプト

都市と農村の課題を同時に解決する、農業・エネルギー・ロボットの三位一体型ソリューションを提案します。この発電農園の中心となるのは、太陽光発電を活用した農業システムです。

除草・土壌再生を化学物質に頼らず実現
シンロボ（SYN-ROBOTICS）による畑のモニタリングと精密な栽培管理
ソーラーパネルによる農業現場のエネルギー自給
地域の雇用創出と技術習得の促進

シンロボ（SYN-ROBOTICS） は、除草・剪定・播種・監視を自動で行い、厳しい環境でも持続可能な農業を実現します。

Image of a community with “Solar Farm”

【Soil is a huge carbon reservoir】

Soil stores 5.5 to 8.8 trillion tons of carbon (CO2 equivalent), more than twice the amount of vegetation in

the atmosphere and forests, and about 3 trillion tons of carbon (CO2 equivalent) in the topsoil alone (*1).

If the carbon content of the world’s soils could be increased by 0.4% annually, the increase in greenhouse

gas concentrations due to human activities could be reduced to practically zero (*2).

*1 : The Asahi Shimbun “GLOBE”, 18 Sept, 2022

*2 : The International “4 per 1000” Initiative｜https://4p1000.org/?lang=en

【土壌は巨大な炭素貯留庫】

土壌には大気、森林などの植生の 2 倍以上の5.5 兆～8.8 兆トン、表土だけでも約 3 兆トンの炭素（CO2 換算）が貯留されている (※1)
全世界の土壌の炭素量を毎年 0.4%ずつ増やすことができれば、人為的な活動による温室効果ガス濃度の上昇を実質ゼロにできるという (※2)

※1 : 出典｜朝日新聞 “GLOBE” 2022年 9月18日
※2 : 出典｜The International “4 per 1000” Initiative｜https://4p1000.org/?lang=en

【Three major factors of soil carbon emissions】

Urbanisation, energy development and agriculture are the three main factors of soil carbon emissions, i.e. human activities for housing, energy and food.
The achievement of carbon neutrality is limited by focusing only on buildings and cities, where soil carbon emissions are inevitable.
We are working on ‘Solar Farm Projectʼ that combines human ‘livelihoods, energy and food’ with ‘decarbonization / carbon-fixation’ in African cities.
The urbanisation, energy crisis and food insecurity caused by rapid population growth on the African continent is a global challenge that urgently needs cross-border support.

【土壌の炭素排出の三大要因】

土壌の炭素を大気に排出している三大要因が「都市化」「エネルギー開発」「農業」、つまり人間の「居住・エネルギー・食」への活動だ
カーボンニュートラルの実現には、土壌炭素の排出が不可避の建築・都市だけに着目しても限界がある
私たちは、アフリカの都市における人間の「居住・エネルギー・食」と「脱炭素/炭素貯留」を共に実現する「都市型発電農園」プロジェクトに取り組んでいる
アフリカ大陸の急激な人口増加に伴う都市化、エネルギー危機、食糧難は、地球規模の課題であり、国境を越えた支援が急務だからだ

“Solar Farm Project” encompassing “Housing, Energy and Food”

【HOUSING︓“Infra-Free Unit” House】

“ Infra-Free Unit” House with “Composting”, ”Water-purification” & ”Energy storage” functions to realize locally produced/consumed housing clusters with no need for infrastructure development in farms.
Operational carbon reduction in housing clusters by storing electricity from solar power generation on farms, composting human waste and using it on farms.
Reduce embodied carbon by manufacturing the units in a factory, but building the houses with locally available natural materials.

【 FARMING/ENERGY/EMPLOYMENT : “ POWER GENERATING FARM” System】

Combine“Farming” & “Power Generating”
Placed on idle and abandoned land around cities.
Provides ”Food” & “Energy” to urban areascreating employment.
Demonstration trials have been ongoing since May 2015 at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology in Kenya (JKUAT).
42 solar panels (100W output) are installed 3m above the farmland, generating about 10,000kWh in one year, enough to supply about 10 Kenyan households. Charged to storage batteries and used to power pumps for drip irrigation.
As for cultivation, this was verified with Red Kidney Beans. Normally, Red Kidney Beans can only be harvested twice a year, but drip irrigation and the shading provided by the solar panels prevent the land from drying out, making it possible to cultivate during the dry season, resulting in four harvests per year.

【FOOD/FARMING︓”Regenerative Farming Method”】

The aim is to build a rich ecosystem that draws out the “power” of the crops themselves through “environmentally regenerative agricultural methods” based on the principles of “no tillage, less fertiliser, less pesticides” and “multi-crop, mixed planting”.
Compared to conventional farming methods, this method promotes carbon fixation in the agro-ecosystem, thereby making agriculture compatible with the soil as a “carbon reservoir”.