Environmental research

In order to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate impact on climate change whilst building community capacity to lead their own development, the project Combating Climate Change through Sustainable Energy for Rural Irrigation (SE4RI) will promote climate smart technology, replacing costly inefficient unreliable diesel engines with a clean renewable solar energy scheme to power an irrigation scheme at Rustler s Gorge. The project will also renovate the clinic s broken solar scheme and pilot a small entrepreneur-managed solar energy kiosk that will offer battery charging to the community, who live in a remote area with no access to the national grid. This clean off grid renewable energy model has significant potential for replication in Zimbabwe and across southern Africa. The project will target the diesel-powered Rustler s Gorge irrigation scheme in ward 19 in Gwanda district in Zimbabwe. Mlambapele is near the confluence of the Shashe and Tuli Rivers along the Zimbabwe-Botswana border. It is a communal ward, which has a male councillor and has a population of 5399 (2902 females). The irrigation has been in place since before independence and there has been no resettlement in the area. The community are growing a few cash crops such as water melons, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and for sale on local markets to meet basic household needs, and they grow wheat, maize and vegetables for household consumption but overall the households are very much existing at subsistence levels. 75% of the population in Mlambapele ward are female headed households, many with absentee husbands (migrant workers in South Africa and Botswana) are some are widows. The main sources of livelihoods are incomes from selling crops grown in irrigation schemes, followed by livestock rearing (cattle, goats and chicken), and also by selling crafts such as umthanyelo (reed brooms), reed baskets, amancimbi (Mopani worms).Agricultural production is compromised by unpredictable low rainfall patterns and access to energy. The Meteorological Service Department predicts a continuous reduction in the yearly received rainfall in Gwanda. The district is in drought prone region 5 which is very dry receiving an average annual precipitation of 600mm which makes rain fed agriculture not viable. Availability of deep underground water in this region calls for mechanization to pump water up. The grid (delivering intermittent electricity) is more than 5km away as the crow flies (but people travel over 20km to reach the nearest electrified area by road). Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has no plans to extend the grid in the near future and the irrigation schemes, small agro and other businesses would in any case struggle to afford the commercial electricity rates. The target sites therefore rely on kerosene and diesel at prices inflated due to their remoteness this includes the clinic which currently offers a poor service and sometimes has to turn away women in labour as it has no lights. Practical Action has been working in the ward since 2010 on an EC funded Water project, so understands the context and has built relationships with local authorities and community members e.g. those involved in developing ward level development plans. Some of the farmers in the irrigation scheme may have participated in trainings as part of an EC funded food security project on smallholder dryland agriculture. The irrigation scheme is managed by a committee of five members (of which 3, including the Chair, are women). The irrigation scheme has 30 members (15 men and 15 women). In 2011, the scheme had 69 members, but 39 dropped out after they were unable to pay the USD125 each required to buy a new engine from South Africa they still own land within the scheme but it is not currently productive. Each of the current 30 members buys their own diesel for irrigation (50 litres per 3 month season) from Gwanda town (150kms away). Due to the costs of maintaining the diesel engines which forced members to drop out, only about 15 hectares out of the available 36 hectares is being utilised, although the former members still own the land and are likely to return if given the opportunity. The Combating Climate Change through Sustainable Energy for Rural Irrigation (SE4RI) project will enable the replacement of environmentally unfriendly diesel engines which contribute to high greenhouse (GHG) gas emissions. The proposed 4.2Kw solar irrigation scheme, at 80% capacity utilization will result in offsetting at least 100 tonnes CO2 per year. The project will replace a relatively high running costs diesel generator with a relatively low running cost solar energy generator. The solar system has a life span of 25-30 years and will have minimal costs of maintenance compared to those of the diesel powered generator. The project will also address the problem of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by the Mashaba clinic diesel generator which has been in place since the solar system fell into disrepair. By renovating the solar system (and providing capacity building on maintenance and operation, to ensure sustainability) this will offset at least 60 tonnes of CO2 per year. Providing a reliable source of lighting will significantly improve health services at the clinic, especially at night, which is when most births take place. The clinic currently serves areas of two wards, ward 19 and ward 20, for basic health care services over 5,000 people. Moving to solar energy will result in signifi

Zimbabwe