Harare (New Ziana) –The government is concerned with the low levels of access to electricity in rural areas, which stands at below 20 percent out of 50 percent for the whole country, a cabinet minister has said.

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda said this at the national climate and renewable energy investment forum held in the capital on Thursday which the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organised.

“This position is not desirable considering that a large number of people, particularly in rural areas lack access to modern energy services,” said Soda.

Although the country has seen increased penetration of small portable solar systems, Soda said the challenge remained that of funding relatively bigger projects, which would increase access to modern energy as 2030 approached.

He added that the condition of existing energy infrastructure left a lot to be desired, hence the need for its urgent upgrade.

Speaking at the same occasion, Energy and Power Development permanent secretary Dr Gloria Magombo said there was need to increase investment in renewable energy using internal resources than waiting for foreign players.

“The year 2022 had the highest level of investment into renewable energy and it had a total of US$1.3 trillion going into renewable energy, but what is critical is that less than 2 percent of that got to the sub-Saharan region of Africa,” she said.

She said statistics for over the past 10 years showed the same trend, adding that last year the world went into an energy crisis which was also caused by the geo-political challenges in Europe.

“From that, a lot of countries have been investing internally to improve their own energy security,” she said.

Also speaking at the same event, UNDP resident representative Verity Nyagah said the meeting was coming at the right time as it presented an opportunity for investors or financiers to have access to a pipeline of projects developed in Zimbabwe under the Energy Offer Project.

The Energy Offer Project was launched last year and to date, it is being rolled out in partnership with the Rural Electrification Fund (REF).

It has seen the revitalisation of the 100kw Mashaba solar mini grid whose system will supply power to two irrigation schemes, 15 businesses, clinics, schools and community water pumping schemes.

New Ziana