Little Electric Tractor Supports Better Crop Yields, Runs On Solar Power - CleanTechnica

The article discusses an initiative by the Malawian-UK NGO Tiyeni to improve crop yields in Malawi through climate-smart agriculture, specifically a technique called Deep Bed Farming (DBF). This method involves breaking up a compacted soil layer known as "hardpan," which restricts root growth, water infiltration, and air penetration, thereby limiting crop productivity. By disrupting this hardpan layer, farmers can more than double their crop yields in the first year. Traditionally, breaking the hardpan is labor-intensive, requiring manual hoeing. To ease this process, a small electric tractor powered by solar energy has been introduced and tested in Malawi. This tractor, which functions similarly to a rototiller, can break up the hardpan with significantly less physical effort than manual labor. The electric tractor is charged using solar panels connected to a nearby microgrid, leveraging Malawi’s abundant sunlight. This approach is more economical and environmentally friendly compared to diesel-powered machinery, as Malawi imports all its petroleum products, which are