SunCulture interview: “We’re not just creating carbon credits—we’re creating climate-smart livelihoods”

Exclusive interview with Daniel Okoth, Head of Carbon, SunCulture, Kenya and a speaker at the upcoming Carbon Markets Africa Summit in Johannesburg.

Daniel Okoth, Head of Carbon at SunCulture

Interview Summary: Daniel Okoth, Head of Carbon at SunCulture, discusses how the company leverages carbon finance to scale climate-smart agriculture in Africa. SunCulture replaces diesel and manual pumps with solar-powered irrigation systems, helping farmers increase income while generating high-quality carbon credits. The company partners with insurers, financiers, and global organizations to expand services and derisk investment. 

Okoth emphasizes Africa’s central role in the future of carbon markets, highlighting the continent’s potential to design equitable and innovative systems that benefit local communities. He cites success stories like farmers doubling their income through solar irrigation and SunCulture pioneering irrigation-based carbon credits. 

Key challenges include market volatility, unclear regulations, and cash flow pressures, but Okoth is optimistic about Africa’s positioning with strong leadership from countries like Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda. Speaking at the Carbon Markets Africa Summit, he plans to call for faster policy frameworks and farmer-centered market design, stressing that Africa’s carbon opportunity is immense but time-sensitive. 

Q. Thank you for joining us. Please can we start with some background about you and your role at SunCulture. 

I’m Daniel Okoth, and I lead the carbon program at SunCulture. I’ve been in this role for close to three years now, and my focus has been using carbon finance to power SunCulture’s growth and impact across Africa. 

My role spans from delivering premium carbon credits from our solar water pumps, to shaping our go-to-market strategy in both the Voluntary Carbon Market and emerging compliance markets, including under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. 

Before joining SunCulture, I worked on carbon due diligence systems, contributed to methodology development using Earth observation tools, and advised on structuring Corresponding Adjustment transactions between host and buyer countries. This background helps me bring both a technical and market-driven perspective to our work. 

Q. Tell us more about SunCulture and the projects you are involved in. Who are your partners?  

SunCulture is a climate-smart agriculture company focused on unlocking the potential of smallholder farmers across Africa through solar-powered irrigation and productive-use appliances. We work at the intersection of clean energy, agriculture, and climate finance — and carbon is a key enabler in all of this. 

Our core project involves replacing diesel and manual water pumps with highly efficient solar water pumps that allow farmers to grow more, earn more, and do so in a way that is climate-resilient. These systems generate high-quality, measurable carbon reductions which we bring to market as carbon credits. 

With farmer incomes both increased and more secure, we want to continue to bring more products and services to our customers that increase their incomes or reduce their risks. For example we have partnered with Turaco to offer microhealth insurance, and credit-life insurance. And we are now working with Humanity Insured and IBISA to bring parametric weather insurance to smallholder farmers. And in addition to financing our farmers to purchase our solar water pumps, and help them build their financial profile, we have now also launched an input financing product to allow them to further invest in their farms. 

We’re fortunate to have some incredible partners. Organizations like British International Investment (BII), the Shell Foundation have been instrumental in providing early stage carbon financing, and we have used platforms like Patch (amongst others) to market and sell our credits. Scaling our business has also been supported by equity financing from many organisation including equity investment from Acumen, Water Equity, and the Private Infrastructure Development Group, as well has foundations related to high net worth individuals and also Results Based Financing support from GreenMax Capital, CLASP, FSD Africa, the Beyond the Grid Foundation and the Workd Bank. Together, we're building market ecosystems that derisk investment and ensure long-term sustainability for farmers and financiers alike. 

Q. What percentage of your work is in Africa? 

All the work (100%) of SunCulture is targeting emerging markets of Africa at the moment, where the need and opportunity for impact are immense. Everything we do—from product development to last-mile delivery to our carbon strategy—is centered on the needs of African smallholder farmers. 

That said, our mission is to develop and commercialize life-changing technology for the world’s 570 million smallholder farming households. So while Africa is our starting point, we’ve set our sights globally. The challenges faced by smallholder farmers are shared across continents, and our long-term vision is to scale our solutions wherever they’re needed most. 

Q. How important is the continent for the future of carbon markets? 

Africa is relatively early in development and  endowed with a variety of prime opportunities for growth, development and most importantly human capital building all which set precedence room for changing stereotypes that empower sustainable market practices. 

Africa is absolutely critical to the future of carbon markets. The continent is still early in its carbon journey, but it’s rich with opportunity—from its natural ecosystems to its human capital. 

What’s exciting is that Africa has the chance to build a carbon market that is equitable, innovative, and truly impactful—not just replicating systems from elsewhere, but designing solutions that work for our context. This includes supporting livelihoods, building local capacity, and ensuring that benefits from carbon flows are felt directly by communities. 

Q. What are some of your favourite success stories in Africa that you can share? 

One of my favorite success stories is watching how a single solar water pump can transform a household. I remember visiting a farmer in Machakos County, Kenya, named Margaret, who went from relying on seasonal rain and diesel generators to using a solar pump. Within one season, she had doubled her income—and was selling produce year-round. 

On the carbon side, we’ve also had major wins—we delivered some of the world’s first solar irrigation-based carbon credits, and did it in a way that puts farmers at the center. That’s the kind of success we want to replicate across the continent. 

Q. You are working in a system that is constantly evolving and changing. What are the main challenges in your view? 

One of the biggest challenges is keeping pace with a market that’s still taking shape. While there’s long-term promise in carbon, short-term volatility makes it tough to plan—especially when timelines for methodologies, approvals, or regulation are unclear. 

This uncertainty affects investment decisions and stretches our operational capacity. Managing cash flow becomes a balancing act, especially when we must deliver high-quality credits at scale while staying true to our mission. 

Q. How is Africa positioned in your view to take advantage of this burgeoning opportunity? 

Africa is incredibly well positioned—but only if we build the right systems to support long-term investment. 

We’re already seeing strong signs: innovative financing mechanisms, catalytic partnerships, and the emergence of carbon-focused financial institutions like Melanin Kapital. At SunCulture, we’re working with partners like BII and Shell Foundation to build buffered carbon ecosystems—systems that are structured to handle market shocks while delivering consistent value to farmers and investors alike. 

Projects like the Kenya BioHub—backed by EDF, Invest International, and Mauritius Bank—are further proof that the continent is serious about decarbonization. The momentum is here; we just need to align it with policy, regulation, and local capacity. 

Q. Which countries on the continent are doing the right things to prepare for carbon markets? 

We’re seeing strong leadership from countries like Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. 

What stands out is how these countries are localizing global frameworks like the Paris Agreement. They’re developing national carbon registries, creating clarity around Corresponding Adjustments, and actively engaging the private sector. These are the kinds of signals investors are looking for—and they’re what will unlock scale. 

Q. You are a speaker at the inaugural Carbon Markets Africa Summit. Why the decision to join this climate change journey with VUKA Group? 

VUKA Group is convening the right stakeholders—from policy makers and financiers to entrepreneurs and project developers. That’s exactly the kind of platform we need to accelerate Africa’s role in carbon markets. 

SunCulture’s mission is deeply aligned with this journey. We’re not just creating carbon credits—we’re creating climate-smart livelihoods. Joining this summit allows us to share what’s working, learn from others, and push the conversation toward solutions that are rooted in Africa. 

Q. What will be your message at the event? 

Our message is simple: Africa’s carbon potential is real, but time is not on our side. 

We need to fast-track enabling frameworks—policies, verification standards, registries—so that the pace of climate finance matches the urgency on the ground. And we must design markets that benefit the people delivering the impact—especially smallholder farmers and rural communities. 

Q. What are your expectations of CMAS? 

I’m looking forward to connecting with others who are at the forefront of climate innovation—from carbon developers and financiers to regulators and tech platforms. We’ll also be sharing what we’ve built at SunCulture—a robust, proven ecosystem for premium carbon delivery. I’m excited for the conversations, the partnerships, and the learning that will come from this summit. 

Q. How important is such an event for the continent? 

It’s incredibly important. Bringing together financiers, regulators, and project developers in one space creates the kind of cross-sector dialogue we need to unlock solutions that are both ambitious and realistic. 

This isn’t just a talking shop—it’s a space to align, benchmark, and collaborate on ideas that can transform Africa’s carbon future. 

Q. Anything you would like to add? 

We’ll be sharing more at the Carbon Markets Africa Summit about the SunCulture carbon ecosystem—how we’ve built it, what we’ve learned, and where we’re going. If you’re serious about delivering premium carbon from Africa, and doing it in a way that creates real impact for farmers, we invite you to connect with us. This is just the beginning.