Investing in clean energy within Zimbabwe’s agrifood systems is no longer a luxury or an abstract climate aspiration; it is a practical necessity for food security, rural development, and economic resilience.
As climate change intensifies droughts, floods, and heat stress, the country’s largely rain-fed and energy-constrained agricultural sector faces mounting pressure.
Clean energy particularly solar, biogas, and small-scale renewables offers Zimbabwe a pathway to transform agrifood systems in ways that are productive, inclusive, and climate-smart.
Zimbabwe’s agrifood systems are deeply energy-dependent, from land preparation and irrigation to processing, storage, and transport.
Yet energy access in rural areas remains limited and unreliable.
Frequent power outages, high fuel costs, and dependence on imported fossil fuels undermine farm productivity and inflate food prices.
Smallholder farmers, who produce the bulk of the country’s food, are especially vulnerable.
When irrigation pumps fail due to electricity cuts or diesel shortages, crops wither; when cold storage is unavailable, post-harvest losses soar.
Clean energy investments directly address these bottlenecks by providing decentralised, affordable, and reliable power tailored to rural realities.
Solar energy stands out as the most immediate opportunity.
Zimbabwe enjoys high solar irradiation, making solar-powered irrigation, milling, and cold storage both technically viable and economically sensible.
Solar irrigation schemes can reduce reliance on erratic rainfall, enabling farmers to produce consistently across seasons and diversify into higher-value horticulture.
This is particularly important for nutrition security, as fruits and vegetables are more water-sensitive yet critical for healthy diets.
Moreover, solar-powered cold rooms at aggregation points can dramatically cut post-harvest losses currently estimated to be as high as 30–40% for perishables thus increasing farmer incomes without expanding cultivated land.
Beyond solar, biogas presents another underutilized clean energy solution within agrifood systems.
Livestock manure and crop residues, often treated as waste, can be converted into energy for cooking, heating, and even electricity generation.
For farming households, biogas reduces dependence on firewood, easing pressure on forests and saving time especially for women and girls who shoulder the burden of fuelwood collection.
The by product, bio slurry, is a high quality organic fertilizer that improves soil health, aligning clean energy with agroecological practices already gaining ground among Zimbabwean farmers.
Investing in clean energy also has implications for agro-processing and value addition, which are essential for rural industrialisation.
Many small and medium agro processors operate below capacity due to power shortages and high energy costs.
Clean energy mini-grids and captive solar systems can power grain milling, oil pressing, dairy cooling, and fruit drying, allowing farmers and cooperatives to move up the value chain.
This not only creates rural employment but also keeps more value within local economies, reducing the rural urban divide that has long characterised Zimbabwe’s development trajectory.
From a climate perspective, clean energy in agrifood systems delivers dual benefits: mitigation and adaptation.
Agriculture is both a victim and a contributor to climate change.
While Zimbabwe’s emissions are relatively low globally, inefficient energy use and deforestation for fuel exacerbate local environmental degradation.
Transitioning to renewables cuts emissions while building resilience against climate shocks.
Clean energy-powered irrigation and storage systems, for example, help farmers adapt to erratic rainfall and temperature extremes, stabilising food supply in the face of uncertainty.
However, the promise of clean energy will remain unrealised without deliberate policy and financing choices.
Upfront costs remain a major barrier for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises.
While solar systems pay for themselves over time, the initial investment is often beyond the reach of cash-constrained households.
Public investment, blended finance, and targeted subsidies are therefore crucial.
Government can play a catalytic role by de-risking investments through guarantees, supporting pay as you go models, and integrating clean energy into existing agricultural support programmes.
Development finance institutions and climate funds also have a role to play, particularly if investments are designed to reach women, youth, and marginalised communities.
Institutional coordination is equally important. Clean energy initiatives often sit in silos energy policy on one side, agricultural policy on the other.
Zimbabwe needs an integrated approach that recognises energy as a core input into agrifood systems.
Extension services should be equipped not only to advise on seeds and soils, but also on energy solutions that enhance productivity and sustainability.
Local manufacturing and maintenance of renewable energy technologies should be promoted to reduce costs, build skills, and create jobs.
Critically, investing in clean energy is not just about technology; it is about reimagining development priorities.
It signals a shift from short term coping strategies to long term resilience.
For a country grappling with climate vulnerability, foreign currency shortages, and rural poverty, clean energy offers a rare convergence of solutions.
It strengthens food systems, empowers farmers, protects ecosystems, and aligns Zimbabwe with global climate commitments without sacrificing growth
Investing in clean energy in Zimbabwe’s agrifood systems is both an economic and moral imperative.
It addresses immediate challenges of productivity and food loss while laying the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural future.
*Gary Gerald Mtombeni is a Harare based journalist. He writes here in his personal capacity. For feedback Email garymtombeni@gmail.com/ call — +263778861608