In the heart of rural India, where challenges abound and opportunities are rare, Oorja has been on a transformative journey, empowering households and fostering sustainability through clean energy and innovative farming solutions. 2024 was a year of bold innovation, strategic collaborations, remarkable achievements and resilient growth. Join us in celebrating another year of an unyielding dedication to empowering smallholder farmers.
A key highlight of the year was the successful closure of Oorja’s US$1.5 million Pre-Series A funding round. This milestone, supported by impact investors like Acumen Fund, elea, Artha Impact (Rianta Capital), 1to4 Foundation, Signal Fund, PG Impact and Swiss Re Foundation,, will supercharge our expansion into new districts and states, enabling us to scale our Farming-as-a-Service model. By 2030, Oorja aims to have deployed 10,000 agri-solar projects, positively impacting 1 million lives and abating 500,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions.
In a significant move, Oorja introduced solar irrigation services under EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) and FMI (Fixed Monthly Instalments) models, powering its first project in Haripur, Uttar Pradesh. The EPC model allows customers to retain full ownership of the asset immediately upon full payment. Under the FMI model, customers can pay in equal monthly installments, and ownership is seamlessly transferred upon the completion of the payment. Collaborating with Fairtrade International and Organic India Farmers Producer Company, the project brought sustainable irrigation to 32 farmers across 6.86 acres.
Oorja forayed into the Rooftop Solar Business in 2024. We became a registered vendor under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana - a pioneering initiative launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. Through this new service, our objective is to enable households to embrace affordable, green energy with substantial subsidies. Oorja has recently completed two rooftop solar installations under this scheme.
Oorja’s impact extends beyond access to technology, reaching deep into societal structures. This year, we onboarded Nirmala Devi as a solar irrigation pump operator in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. As the first woman in her family to step outside her home for work, Nirmala is challenging norms and reshaping perceptions, embodying our vision of empowering women in rural India.
In addition to operators like Nirmala, 17% of Oorja's irrigation customers are now women farmers. This growing participation is a remarkable shift, as women in rural areas have historically had limited access to key resources like irrigation technology. With Oorja’s pay-per-use solar irrigation service, more women are stepping into decision-making roles, managing their farms and directly contributing to household income.
We adopted a gender-neutral Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) policy to ensure a safe and inclusive workplace for all employees, regardless of gender. This reflects our commitment to fostering a respectful and harassment-free environment, ensuring that every team member feels secure, supported, and empowered to contribute fully to Oorja’s mission.
Oorja’s Farmer Advisory team has been pivotal in supporting small farmers with knowledge and tools for sustainable farming practices. We launched its Soil Health Testing Service across Bahraich, Barabanki, and Hardoi districts, providing farmers with vital insights to improve soil fertility. We aim to equip farmers with personalized Soil Health Cards and actionable recommendations. Early adopters have already begun seeing positive results, supported by Oorja’s dedicated Farm Advisors.
Oorja launched Seed Sale service under its Climate-smart Farmer Advisory vertical this year. We sold 3,000+ kilograms of high-yield, disease-resistant paddy, wheat and maize seeds in Bahraich and Barabanki districts. Through support from the Swiss Re Foundation, Oorja trained over 2,500 farmers on sustainable agronomic practices, including the use of organic pesticides and vermicompost.
Collaboration has been central to Oorja’s success. In March 2024, Oorja partnered with the Swiss Re Foundation to scale our digital farm advisory services, helping farmers combat climate challenges and reduce crop losses. Similarly, the MintUP project, supported by GIZ India saw the installation of solar pumps in Barabanki district. These pumps, including the first one in Neri village, replaced diesel-powered systems, reducing carbon emissions and operational costs while benefiting 15 farmers over 20 acres. This year, Oorja joined the Alliance for Solarised Irrigation (ASI), amplifying our mission to promote solar-based irrigation practices.
In partnership with MICA Ahmedabad, Oorja welcomed a team of students as part of a Rural Immersion Program to its operational villages in Bahraich. The students conducted field research to assess farmers’ awareness of climate-resilient seeds and soil health testing. Their findings provided valuable insights besides helping us refine our marketing strategies, ensuring they resonate deeply with the needs and aspirations of farmers. We also partnered with Autodesk Foundation to accelerate the growth of our emerging non-PPU (pay-per-use) business streams; and with 4th Wheel Consultants to conduct an impact assessment to evaluate the impact of our services.
Oorja’s co-founders, Amit Saraogi (CEO & Co-founder) and Dr. Clementine Chambon (CTO & Co-founder), were honored to feature on the cover of The Philanthropist, a leading Swiss philanthropy magazine. In a candid interview with Takashi Sugimoto, conducted in Zurich, they shared the genesis of Oorja and its unique business model that combines impact with profitability.
We were also featured by NextBillion as they published an insightful article penned by Ankur Singh, with inputs from Argha Ghose and Clementine Chambon. The piece, titled “Comparing Business Models for Scaling Access to Productive Use of Energy Appliances in Agriculture: The Advantages of Pay-Per-Use,” examined how Oorja’s Pay-Per-Use model revolutionises access to energy-efficient appliances for economically distressed farmers.
Oorja’s groundbreaking work in climate-smart agriculture was spotlighted in the India Climate Bulletin, an initiative of the Impact Investors Council. Dr. Clementine Chambon, our CTO and Co-founder, detailed how Oorja is transforming the lives of smallholder farmers through accessible and affordable solar irrigation and milling services.
Behind every milestone stands a team of dedicated individuals. This year, we welcomed 16 new members to our team and created 63 new green jobs for people from last-mile rural communities. We are now a strong team of 150 passionate and talented individuals.
We welcomed Audrey Fillon as our new Chief Operating Officer. With extensive experience in sustainability, regeneration, and women’s economic empowerment, Audrey’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing Oorja’s mission. Her expertise in managing large-scale initiatives across the Global South aligns seamlessly with our vision of inclusive growth and building resilient livelihoods.
As our team grows, so does our capacity to innovate and scale, reaching more farmers and households with impactful solutions. To expand our footprint and deepen our engagement, Oorja has been strengthening its operations with the introduction of digital tools and improved processes. Meanwhile, platforms such as WhatsApp Business are changing the way we connect with farmers, making communication faster, more reliable, and accessible.
Oorja’s pioneering work gained international recognition in 2024.
Our pioneering work in empowering smallholder farmers with solar-powered irrigation and reducing diesel reliance earned us the Efficiency-as-a-Service Innovation Showcase Award. We were recognised as the Top 6 climate solutions globally at the MIT Solve Global Challenges. We won the Empowering Vulnerable Communities Challenge by the World Economic Forum for our efforts in climate resilience. Additionally, the Climate-Positive and Equitable Food Systems Prize from the Seeding The Future Foundation recognised our holistic approach to transforming food systems through solar-powered irrigation and climate-smart advisory services. We also won the 60 Decibels Energy Top Impact Award for Appliances, scoring highest for our productive-use energy solutions. At the Partnering for Change event organised by HCL Foundation, we received the Best Practice Award for our equitable energy access initiatives in Hardoi.
This year also saw Oorja’s solutions showcased at the Earthshot Prize events during the London Climate Action Week, where Amit Saraogi and Clementine Chambon engaged with trailblazing innovators tackling climate challenges. Additionally, at Climate Week NYC, Amit shared Oorja’s vision on global panels, emphasizing the need for scalable, adaptable solutions in clean energy and agriculture. His participation underscored Oorja’s commitment to empowering smallholder farmers through solar-powered irrigation and milling solutions.
Co-founder Dr. Clementine Chambon was honoured as one of the Meaningful Business 100 leaders, celebrating her role in advancing affordable climate-tech solutions for smallholder farmers.
Amit Saraogi, represented us at prestigious global forums. At the Regional Convening by Water and Energy for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development (WE4F) in Bali, Amit led discussions on business scalability and ESG integration. Amit was also selected as a mentor for the Greenovation Energy Challenge, where he guided innovative approaches to renewable energy adoption in rural India. This initiative, spearheaded by the SwitchON Foundation, focuses on creating sustainable energy solutions for the agricultural sector.
In Kathmandu, Senior Manager Ankur Singh participated in the Global Science-Policy Forum, hosted by IWMI and other partners, focusing on systemic changes to improve inclusivity in solar irrigation. Events like these strengthened our network across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
As we close 2024, we’re energised by the milestones we’ve accomplished, resources we have mobilised and the partnerships we’ve forged. From global platforms to grassroots innovations, Oorja is steadfast in its mission to empower vulnerable communities with clean energy solutions, climate-smart agriculture, and promote sustainable development. Together with farmers, homeowners, partners, and supporters, Oorja is lighting the way towards a future where rural communities thrive, agriculture is sustainable, and opportunity knows no bounds.
Oorja’s journey is one of collaboration, innovation, and resilience. Each initiative, award, and partnership reflects our core belief: that every farmer deserves the knowledge, tools and opportunities to prosper, and every community has the potential to flourish with the right support.
Oorja invites you to be a part of this transformative journey. Whether you are a partner, investor, or advocate, your support is invaluable in building a future where sustainability and equity go hand in hand.
Together, we will continue to light up homes, power farms, and nurture dreams—one step, one solution, one farmer and one homeowner at a time.
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