Aerolove’s smart agriculture model wins Uganda’s best solar innovation award
According to Winnie Nfaaki, Team Lead at Aerolove Initiative Uganda, the initiative has developed a model centred on solar-powered Agri-Hubs integrated with a drone-based crop monitoring system.
Aerolove Initiative Uganda has been named the National Best Solar Innovation 2026 winner at the Uganda Solar Energy Association (USEA) National Solar Expo & Conference 2026, in recognition of its innovative use of solar energy, aviation and smart agriculture to reduce post-harvest losses.
The award was presented during the three-day expo and conference held from August 26–28, 2026, at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi, Kampala, under the theme “Powering Productivity with Solar Energy.”
The innovation was developed to address one of the persistent challenges facing farmers dealing in perishable agricultural produce – post-harvest losses caused by inadequate storage, cooling and transportation infrastructure.
According to Winnie Nfaaki, Team Lead at Aerolove Initiative Uganda, the initiative has developed a model centred on solar-powered Agri-Hubs integrated with a drone-based crop monitoring system.
The system is designed to operate as an interconnected loop, beginning in the skies where drones monitor farmers’ crops and provide information that can support agricultural management.
The produce is then moved to solar-powered Agri-Hubs using electric mobility, where cooling systems help preserve its freshness before it is packaged and transported to its final destinations, including export markets.
“It is aviation and smart agriculture in one concept,” Nfaaki said, explaining the innovation that earned the initiative national recognition.
The model seeks to bring together renewable energy, technology, agriculture, aviation and logistics to create a more efficient agricultural value chain while addressing the effects of climate change.
Aerolove Initiative Uganda describes its broader mission as connecting “the sky, the land and the people” through aviation, tourism and smart agriculture to build a climate-resilient Uganda.
The organisation’s approach places solar energy at the centre of agricultural value addition, particularly for farmers producing fruits, vegetables and other highly perishable commodities that require reliable cold-chain infrastructure.
The recognition at the USEA National Solar Expo & Conference highlights the growing role of solar technology beyond household electrification, with innovations increasingly seeking to use renewable energy to power productive sectors such as agriculture, transport, storage and logistics.
For Aerolove Initiative Uganda, the award provides national recognition for an approach that seeks to tackle post-harvest losses while opening opportunities for farmers to access higher-value domestic and international markets.
The USEA expo brought together players in Uganda’s solar energy sector to showcase technologies, innovations and business solutions aimed at accelerating the adoption of solar energy for productive use.
Under the theme “Powering Productivity with Solar Energy,” the conference emphasised the potential of solar energy to support economic transformation by providing affordable and sustainable power for businesses, households and productive activities.
Aerolove’s award-winning concept demonstrates how the convergence of renewable energy, agricultural technology and aviation could create new solutions for Uganda’s agricultural sector, particularly as the country seeks to strengthen climate resilience and expand agricultural exports.
