For over a decade, SELF’s Solar Market Gardens (SMGs) have tackled food insecurity through a combination of solar power and drip irrigation. The SMG program helps rural farming cooperatives increase yields and improve resilience, lending to gains in local nutrition.

The very first SMGs were established in Benin’s arid Kalalé District. In 2024, SELF returned to four of these original gardens. Staff conducted studies of the SMGs’ sustainability over time, and assessed how the model can be improved upon to benefit even more people, while withstanding the impacts of climate change.

What followed was the Solar Market Garden 2.0—first a concept, then a reality. SELF upgraded the four gardens, installing fresh piping and additional solar panels, and incorporating new features such as green fencing and nurseries. SELF also revamped the gardens’ economic model to improve profits to farmers and ensure financial sustainability over time.

Now, with the harvest among us, the farmers are seeing the fruits of this labor. Buckets of tomatoes, lettuce, and more are being sold at markets. The coops have also started selling produce wholesale to restaurants and shops. The community is more food secure, and local women—the garden’s primary tenants—are earning more income.

Learn more about the Solar Market Garden program.