Equity Bank Uganda has supported the expansion of a tree nursery business in Lira City through a solar-powered irrigation project that has boosted production and promoted climate-resilient farming in northern Uganda.
In Boroboro parish, Gwengbar area, Dopla tree nurseries has grown from a small backyard operation into a major supplier of tree seedlings, following the adoption of solar irrigation technology that has improved efficiency and output.
The nursery was established in 2019 by micro-entrepreneur Daniel Ocen, who initially ran the business with very limited resources and depended on manual watering using cans.
The method was slow, labour-intensive and unsustainable, especially under Lira’s hot and unpredictable weather conditions, and workers often had to travel long distances to fetch water, which led to inconsistent irrigation and losses of seedlings.
In early 2025, Ocen installed a solar-powered irrigation system after being introduced to the technology by a Tulima Solar field agent, following a site assessment that led to the installation of two solar panels, a high-capacity water pump and a piping system that delivers water directly to nursery beds.
The project was supported under the Results-Based Financing programme implemented by Equity Bank Uganda in partnership with Energising Development (EnDev) Uganda and GIZ, which provides incentives to solar equipment suppliers to make renewable energy technologies more affordable for small and medium enterprises.
Since the installation, irrigation has become more reliable and less labour-intensive, allowing workers to focus on seedling care and nursery management, while improving survival rates and the quality of plants.
The business has also expanded significantly, with annual production rising from about 50,000 seedlings to around 200,000, and peak season revenues increasing from Shs 20 million to about Shs 30 million.
The nursery, located along a busy roadside, now supplies seedlings to NGOs, institutions and individual farmers involved in reforestation, fruit farming, landscaping and home gardening projects.
Beyond commercial production, the nursery has also become an informal training centre where Ocen mentors 12 young people and women in nursery management and seedling propagation skills, contributing to local employment and skills development.
Encouraged by the results, Ocen plans to further expand the business by installing an additional solar irrigation system and solar-powered security lighting.
The project highlights how access to affordable renewable energy can help rural enterprises scale up, improve agricultural productivity and support environmental restoration and local economic growth.
