Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, has challenged developing countries to adopt the use of solar energy not only as a technological issue but as a development imperative.
Prof Murwira said this on Wednesday during a high-level discussion on clean and decentralised energy organised by the Government of India at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In a communique, Prof Murwira said the Global South stands at a critical juncture as millions of people still lack reliable electricity.
“In his address, Prof Murwira framed development as a journey “from poverty to prosperity” rooted in understanding the natural order of the universe, an order fundamentally driven by the sun,” reads part of the statement.
“Nearly all energy systems, he emphasised, are derived directly or indirectly from solar energy. Harnessing this resource sustainably is therefore not just a technological choice, but a development imperative.”
He highlighted that technologies succeed when they operate at the micro scale, empowering individuals and households directly.
Prof Murwira said just as communication evolved from telephone booths to mobile phones in every pocket, energy systems must move from centralised power stations to rooftop and household-level solar solutions.
“This shift democratises energy, empowers communities and delivers inclusive growth. For Africa, the opportunity is immense,” he said.
“With an estimated 300 million households across the continent, decentralised solar represents hundreds of millions of potential clean energy units.
“In Southern Africa alone, around 80 million households could be powered sustainably. Zimbabwe, with a population of 16,5 million, high literacy levels and strong technological readiness, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.”
The minister said historically, solar energy in many African countries has been used as a coping mechanism in response to power shortages and argued that this mindset must change, saying it should now be viewed as a productivity platform, powering agriculture, industry, mining, tourism and households while reducing emissions.
“Zimbabwe’s experience in agriculture demonstrates this potential. Through the deployment of irrigation technologies, the country has moved from being a wheat-deficient nation to one of only two wheat-surplus producers in Africa, alongside Ethiopia,” reads the communique.
“Solar-powered irrigation schemes now offer an opportunity to scale this success sustainably, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and enhance food security in the face of climate change.”
Prof Murwira said the Government’s vision included installing at least one solar-powered village business unit in each of Zimbabwe’s 35 000 villages, saying such initiatives directly link clean energy to rural livelihoods, dignity, and economic resilience, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
India’s Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, said his country has proved that the energy transition is not a burden on development, but a driver of economic growth.
India has rapidly expanded its renewable energy capacity from about 81 gigawatts in 2014 to over 260 gigawatts at present, with more than 50 percent of installed capacity now coming from renewable sources.
“At the same time, India remains one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, demonstrating that emissions can be decoupled from growth.
“Decentralised solutions such as rooftop solar, solarised irrigation pumps, and village-level systems have turned clean energy into a people’s movement, delivering affordable power while cutting carbon emissions.”
