Smallholder farmers' use of solar-powered water pumps and other equipment creates opportunities to increase productivity and income. However, they generally struggle to get access to financing, quality farm inputs, advisory support and connections to markets. These challenges are felt more acutely by women and other marginalised farmers who typically do not own or control resources or assets, such as land or bank accounts. This puts them at a disadvantage, for example, when qualifying for financing for solar-powered appliances. This briefing highlights opportunities for strengthening gender equality and social inclusion garnered from processes that established business cases for horticulture and poultry value chains for women and other marginalised farmers in Kenya’s Kitui County — using energy as an entry point.