OffgridSun – Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Communities Affected by Drought Due to El Niño (Zimbabwe)

The OffgridSun project installed nine solar pumping systems in Zimbabwe's Lupane and Makoni districts to improve water access and food security. Funded primarily by a grant from AICS, the initiative provided solar-powered wells that increased agricultural productivity by 15% and created income opportunities for 135 people.

• The project installed nine solar pumping systems, each consisting of 11 PV modules of 260 W and a 1.1 kW submerged hydraulic pump with a Bluetooth monitoring system, to mitigate drought risks and provide water access.
• The initiative benefited 350 people by improving water access, which reduced the time women spent collecting water and improved supply for schools, cattle, and nutritional gardens.
• Economic and agricultural outcomes included a 15% average increase in cereal and vegetable productivity over three years and new income generation opportunities for approximately 135 people regarding water management.
• The total project cost was EUR 890,000, with EUR 846,000 provided as a grant from AICS and approximately EUR 44,000 in equity from COSV, ActionAid Zimbabwe, and LEAD.

APA

Alliance for Renewable Electrification (2021). OffgridSun – Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Communities Affected by Drought Due to El Niño (Zimbabwe). https://renewelec.org/case-study/offgridsun-strengthening-resilience-rural-communities-affected-drought-due-el/

Chicago

Alliance for Renewable Electrification. OffgridSun – Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Communities Affected by Drought Due to El Niño (Zimbabwe). 2021. https://renewelec.org/case-study/offgridsun-strengthening-resilience-rural-communities-affected-drought-due-el/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |title=OffgridSun – Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Communities Affected by Drought Due to El Niño (Zimbabwe) |date=26 February 2021 |url=https://renewelec.org/case-study/offgridsun-strengthening-resilience-rural-communities-affected-drought-due-el/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allianceforrenewableelectrification2021offgridsun, author = {{Alliance for Renewable Electrification}}, title = {{OffgridSun – Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Communities Affected by Drought Due to El Niño (Zimbabwe)}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://renewelec.org/case-study/offgridsun-strengthening-resilience-rural-communities-affected-drought-due-el/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }