MALAWI: Farmers in Malawi are benefiting from a new solar-powered micro electric tractor that could increase crop yields and provide electricity to rural communities.
Developed by Aftrak, a company spun out of Loughborough University in England, the small waist-high tractor allows a farmer to walk behind and steer while it powers itself using sunlight. The tractor features a steel “hardpan breaker” that pierces compacted soil, allowing rainwater and roots to reach deeper layers. This reduces soil erosion, improves water absorption, and makes the land more resilient to droughts.
The tractor works alongside deep bed farming (DBF), an agricultural technique promoted by the nonprofit Tiyeni, which can double crop yields and increase farmer income up to nine times.
Aftrak is also introducing modular solar panels to rural villages, starting in Malawi, where only 15.6% of the population had electricity in 2023 — and just 6% in rural areas. Each solar module generates 7.5 kilowatt-hours per day, enough to charge one tractor or provide electricity to up to five households. Villagers can also connect multiple modules to increase power supply.
Farmers in the northern village of Mzamu, where the system is being tested, have reported significant improvements. “Before Aftrak we used hoes to dig the soil and it was a hard job. It could take us three to four days,” said village chief Arnold Soko, 74. “Now it may take one to two days using a tractor.”
Electricity from the solar panels has also brought lights, television, refrigerators, and access to mobile banking and online education. “We were living in darkness, and now we’re living in light,” said Soko. Farmer Elizabeth Gondwe added, “Our children are happy because they are using light and studying well.”
Each tractor costs around $3,500, while a solar module costs about $1,500. Aftrak plans to sell them to farming cooperatives, independent farms, and nonprofits, sometimes at a discount, and is exploring an “Uber-like leasing app” to rent tractors by the hour.
Aftrak has 100 tractors in production in the UK and plans to manufacture in Blantyre, Malawi, with local artisans trained to assemble the tractors and perform maintenance. The program is expected to expand across Malawi and later to Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Dr. Jonathan Wilson, Aftrak’s project lead, said the goal is to create a “self-sustaining model for decentralized energy access,” empowering communities with both food security and electricity.
