SunCulture

SunCulture is a Kenya-based agri-tech company founded in 2012 in Nairobi that designs and sells solar-powered irrigation systems for smallholder farmers across East and West Africa. The company was created to help farmers move away from costly diesel pumps and unreliable rainfall by giving them affordable access to solar irrigation, lighting and mobile charging.

Its core product, the ClimateSmart Direct 2 solar pump, integrates a solar array, submersible pump and IoT-enabled controller that farmers finance through a pay-as-you-grow instalment plan billed via mobile money. SunCulture also bundles climate insurance and carbon-credit programmes with its hardware, and works with distributors, microfinance institutions and NGOs to reach farming communities across the region.

1. Solar irrigation pump: ClimateSmart Direct 2 draws water without grid power or diesel.

2. Pay-as-you-grow financing: monthly instalments collected via mobile money over up to 30 months.

3. IoT-enabled controller: remote monitoring of pump usage and system performance.

4. Climate insurance: SunCulture Protect covers farmers against weather-related crop loss.

5. Carbon credit programme: generates verified carbon revenue tied to diesel displacement.

6. Distribution network: sold through microfinance institutions, NGOs and local agents.