Staff Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to launch the Presidential Solar Programme, a major initiative aimed at providing solar power to 200,000 rural households across Zimbabwe.
The programme is expected to transform energy access in villages spanning the country’s eight rural provinces, offering a sustainable solution to electricity challenges.
Announcing the development, during the Post Cabinet press briefing, today, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, revealed that the implementation plan for the Presidential Solarisation Programme was approved in December 2024, and significant progress has since been made.
“Guidelines for the implementation of the programme have been established, with stakeholder mapping and identification of beneficiaries in villages across the eight rural provinces already completed,” he said.
To ensure smooth execution, community mobilisation and awareness campaigns have been carried out by the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. Additionally, the project will create employment opportunities, as graduates from the Youth Service in Zimbabwe, in collaboration with experts from the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), will be responsible for installing the solar kits.
“His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, will officially launch the programme, marking the commencement of its first year of implementation,” Dr. Muswere added.
In addition to discussing the solar initiative, Cabinet also reviewed the country’s food security outlook for the 2024/2025 agricultural season.
Dr. Muswere assured the nation that grain stocks at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) are sufficient to sustain rural communities until the next harvest, expected in April 2025. Currently, Zimbabwe’s grain reserves stand at 129,149 metric tonnes.
“The Government continues to monitor import volumes, stock levels at millers, import prices, and sources to prevent any form of arbitrage,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has ramped up efforts to combat the worst African Armyworm outbreak in two decades. The Government has deployed 214 surveillance traps nationwide to monitor and contain the destructive pest, which threatens the country’s food security.
As Zimbabwe pushes forward with these key initiatives—expanding rural electrification, ensuring food security, and tackling agricultural threats—the Government remains focused on fostering economic resilience and improving livelihoods for its citizens.
