Solar Cooperative Uganda

This project at the Baitambogwe Dairy Cooperative in Uganda will have a very positive impact on the environment and on the country’s population (on both the producers and the population served by the cooperative).

Environmental Impact

The switch to solar energy will reduce the Cooperative’s diesel consumption by 7.300 liters/year, thus avoiding the emission of 19,3 tons of CO2/year, the equivalent to planting 877 trees.

Social Impact

An estimated 37% of Uganda’s population lives under the poverty threshold of US$1.90 a day. Nevertheless, it is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. This project will improve the living conditions of the population served by the cooperative.

• Better working conditions: by increasing the lighting around the plant with external safety lights, street vendors will manage to work longer hours.
• Improved children’s health: every year, more than 5.000 people living in Gomba and Mayuge, where the milk is supplied, will benefit from easily available milk with a high nutrition value. This will help tackle children's malnutrition.
• Greater financial autonomy: the current income earned by milk producers is not enough to give them financial autonomy. The improved energy supply and increased refrigeration capacity will increase the cooperative’s capacity to acquire milk, therefore resulting in an estimated 50 % increase in revenue for its 536 farmers, contributing to their sustainability.
• More gender equality: the cooperative training for the deployment and use of the solar system will prioritize the 268 women that are cooperative members, therefore supporting women to become decision-makers. Furthermore, 45% of the leadership positions at Baitambogwe Dairy Cooperative are filled by women. Finally, it will also ease the labor burden for the women who currently have to transport milk to distant milk cooling centers.
• Job generation: by building reliable and sustainable infrastructure, this project will motivate more farmers to take up lucrative dairy businesses in Uganda, hence creating direct and indirect jobs (estimates point to over 1.000). Technical jobs will also be created in the solar sector to trained technicians and local people who will be trained to operate and maintain the solar plants.

This project at the Baitambogwe Dairy Cooperative in Uganda will have a very positive impact on the environment and on the country’s population (on both the producers and the population served by the cooperative).

Environmental Impact

The switch to solar energy will reduce the Cooperative’s diesel consumption by 7.300 liters/year, thus avoiding the emission of 19,3 tons of CO2/year, the equivalent to planting 877 trees.

Social Impact

An estimated 37% of Uganda’s population lives under the poverty threshold of US$1.90 a day. Nevertheless, it is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. This project will improve the living conditions of the population served by the cooperative.

• Better working conditions: by increasing the lighting around the plant with external safety lights, street vendors will manage to work longer hours.
• Improved children’s health: every year, more than 5.000 people living in Gomba and Mayuge, where the milk is supplied, will benefit from easily available milk with a high nutrition value. This will help tackle children's malnutrition.
• Greater financial autonomy: the current income earned by milk producers is not enough to give them financial autonomy. The improved energy supply and increased refrigeration capacity will increase the cooperative’s capacity to acquire milk, therefore resulting in an estimated 50 % increase in revenue for its 536 farmers, contributing to their sustainability.
• More gender equality: the cooperative training for the deployment and use of the solar system will prioritize the 268 women that are cooperative members, therefore supporting women to become decision-makers. Furthermore, 45% of the leadership positions at Baitambogwe Dairy Cooperative are filled by women. Finally, it will also ease the labor burden for the women who currently have to transport milk to distant milk cooling centers.
• Job generation: by building reliable and sustainable infrastructure, this project will motivate more farmers to take up lucrative dairy businesses in Uganda, hence creating direct and indirect jobs (estimates point to over 1.000). Technical jobs will also be created in the solar sector to trained technicians and local people who will be trained to operate and maintain the solar plants.