Agrosolar Solar Irrigation System

Agros is a Singapore-based agtech company founded in 2019 by Max Nelen. It helps smallholder fruit and vegetable farmers in Southeast Asia replace diesel irrigation pumps, which typically cost them 50 to 100 US dollars a month in fuel, with clean and affordable solar irrigation, aiming to raise profits and cut emissions.

Agrosolar is a solar water pump system sized for small to medium fruit farms of 1 to 5 hectares and vegetable farms of 1 to 2 hectares. It removes fuel costs and enables year-round irrigation. Agros pairs the hardware with Agros Finance, a post-harvest payment scheme that lets farmers repay over time, and with in-house digital tools. The company works with microfinance institutions and development partners and operates in Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar.

• Solar water pump: irrigation powered by solar panels instead of diesel or petrol.
• Farm sizing: configured for 1-5 ha fruit farms and 1-2 ha vegetable farms.
• Zero fuel operation: no fuel procurement and less pump maintenance time.
• Agros Finance: post-harvest payment scheme allowing repayment over time.
• Digital tools: in-house digital infrastructure supporting farmer onboarding and financing.
• Partner delivery: distribution with microfinance institutions and development organisations.

• Fruit cooperatives in the Mekong Delta or Central Highlands replacing diesel pumps for durian, pomelo or coffee irrigation.
• Microfinance institutions and agricultural banks bundling solar pump loans with post-harvest repayment.
• Agribusinesses with contract farming areas reducing Scope 3 emissions in their supply chain.

• Removes recurring diesel costs; the company reports 11.3 million US dollars in fuel savings for farmers.
• Year-round irrigation that improves land and crop productivity.
• Post-harvest repayment through Agros Finance makes the system affordable for smallholders.
• Measurable climate impact, with more than 35,000 tons of CO2 emissions avoided according to the company.

Smallholder irrigation in Southeast Asia still relies heavily on diesel pumps, exposing farmers to volatile fuel prices and producing emissions. Falling solar panel costs, climate finance and pay-over-time models are making solar irrigation viable for small farms, and drought and saline intrusion in the Mekong region increase demand for reliable water access.

Founded in 2019 in Singapore by CEO Max Nelen. Closed a 4.25 million US dollar Series A in March 2025 co-led by Gaia Impact, Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia and Wavemaker Impact, with Global Innovation Fund, Silverstrand Capital and Steve Melhuish participating. Serves more than 6,000 farmers and over 13,000 irrigated hectares in Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar.