In Ethiopia's Western Highlands, a powerful partnership between ancient wisdom and modern energy is transforming the future of farming. The Agaw people, known for their generations-old soil and water conservation practices, have found new life for these traditions by integrating solar-powered irrigation systems into their terraced farmland, according to reporting by Dialogue Earth.
For centuries, the Agaw community's sustainable practices — such as rotational grazing, terracing, and soil restoration using native plants — have maintained ecological balance across the rugged highlands. But as droughts and erosion worsened with warming temperatures, those systems faced unprecedented strain. The introduction of solar pumps, which draw groundwater or river water to irrigate crops, has revived both the land and the livelihoods that depend on it.
"With solar pumps, I can water my crops when there is no rain," said Agaw farmer Guday Tessema in an interview with Dialogue Earth. "We still use the terracing our ancestors taught us — it works even better now."
By merging solar technology with traditional ecological knowledge, the Agaw have built a "living infrastructure" that captures water, enriches soil, and sustains year-round food production.
Experts say this collaboration between Indigenous communities, local cooperatives, and conservation groups like NABU is a model for climate resilience rooted in culture rather than competition. "The Agaw experience shows how Indigenous wisdom can work synergistically with modern energy solutions," noted NABU researcher Bayeh Tiruneh.
Beyond the farms, solar power is also lighting up churches and community centers, reducing firewood use and air pollution while empowering women who once spent hours collecting wood or carrying water. As one priest from St. George Church told Dialogue Earth, "Solar energy is a gift that helps us protect God's creation."
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