By Abdullahi Lukman
Mozambique is transforming rural access to electricity and boosting local development through a €22 million investment in renewable energy under the Renewable Energy for Rural Development Project (REDR2+), a partnership between the Mozambican government and the Kingdom of Belgium.
The initiative, nearing its formal closure on 15 March 2026 after nearly eight years, has provided electricity and solar-powered irrigation to thousands of citizens in the provinces of Nampula, Zambézia, and Manica.
Implemented by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) alongside the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME), the Energy Fund (FUNAE), and the National Irrigation Institute (INIR), the project has expanded access to clean energy while promoting social and economic growth.
Through its electrification component, REDR2+ built five photovoltaic mini-grids across Nampula and Zambézia, connecting 3,667 households and benefiting 18,000 people, many for the first time.
The mini-grids improved community safety via public lighting and supported local public services.
The project also strengthened agriculture with 508 solar-powered irrigation systems, covering 426 hectares of farmland.
Of these, 310 systems were installed in Manica and 198 in Zambézia, with 25 systems placed in schools to support technical training in irrigation management.
At the latest Steering Committee meeting in Maputo, Permanent Secretary António Manda highlighted the project’s economic impact, noting that electrification and irrigation systems have opened new business opportunities and enhanced access to essential services in rural communities.
