Best Practices in MV & LV Design & Maintenance in Mini-Gridshttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pexels-pixabay-356036-scaled-e1764937286105.jpg25601160JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Best Practices in MV & LV Design & Maintenance in Mini-Grids
Overview
Expanding access to electricity is critical for improving health, education, and livelihoods in rural communities. Yet delivering reliable power in these areas, especially through mini-grids, comes with many challenges, from high costs and difficult terrain to limited data and maintenance capacity. This brief outlines practical guidance for developing and managing Medium-Voltage (MV) and Low-Voltage (LV) networks in rural mini-grids. It covers key areas including how to forecast energy demand, size and design network components, plan village electrification, ensure long-term maintenance, address operational challenges, minimise environmental impact, and prepare for repairs. The aim is to equip practitioners and Rural Electrification Agencies (REAs) with clear, actionable insights to help build resilient, efficient, and sustainable mini-grids that truly serve communities.
This material has been developed under the GGE-EA Project and funded by UK International Development from the UK Government; however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies
Making Mini-Grids Work: Practical Approaches to Economic & Financial Analysishttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pexels-pixabay-163317-scaled-e1764932459869.jpg2560956JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Making Mini-Grids Work: Practical Approaches toEconomic and Financial Analysis
Overview
Access to electricity is essential for reducing poverty, improving health and education, and supporting jobs, especially in rural areas. But true access means more than just having power; it must be reliable, affordable, and useful. This brief explores how households, businesses, and public services use electricity differently, and how their needs can be met through solutions like mini-grids, solar home systems, and shared energy services. It highlights the importance of understanding local demand, choosing the right technologies, and planning for both technical and financial sustainability. The brief also explains funding options, like loans, grants, and investments, and how clean energy projects can reduce emissions and support climate goals. Overall, it offers practical guidance for delivering inclusive, sustainable energy to underserved communities.
This material has been developed under the GGE-EA Project and funded with UK aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform; however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.
Aligning SDG 7 with NDCshttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2.png1600900JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Powering Climate Action: Aligning Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Energy access remains a major development challenge in Africa, efforts to expand access often operate in isolation from climate goals, missing key opportunities for alignment and financing. The webinar explored how SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) aligns with the goals of the Paris Agreement, and how these frameworks could be leveraged to drive the deployment of clean energy solutions. It unpacked the linkages between SDG 7 and climate action, highlighting the role of renewable energy in reducing emissions, and examining how countries can better align clean energy initiatives with national climate targets.
The first presentation was done by Minky Groenewald from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centers (RCC) for East & Southern Africa (EASA). She provided a clear introduction to the Paris Agreement and its role in global climate governance, emphasisng the shift toward country-led commitments through COP negotiations. She explained the importance of NDCs and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) as tools for setting and achieving climate mitigation targets, highlighting how these frameworks enable countries to align with global goals, attract climate finance, and promote sustainable development. Crucially, she underscored the need to integrate energy access into NDCs and LT-LEDS, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, by prioritising renewable energy, clean cooking solutions, and inclusive strategies that support a just transition and equitable growth.
This was followed by a country experience presentation conducted by Esther Wang’ombe, Director Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, from Kenya. Wang’ombe offered a comprehensive overview of Kenya’s energy access goals, emphasising the efforts to expand reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy services to underserved communities, with clear targets aimed at achieving universal access. She then outlined the nation’s climate ambitions and NDCs, detailing mitigation and adaptation strategies designed to meet international climate commitments while fostering resilience. Finally, the presentation explored the alignment between SDG 7 and climate objectives, illustrating how integrated policy frameworks and cross-sectoral implementation approaches are being used to advance both agendas simultaneously, ensuring inclusive development and environmental sustainability.
Aimee Tredoux, Project Manager & Research Assistant at SouthSouthNorth (SSN), delivered an engaging presentation on Climate Finance as a Catalyst for Climate Action. She began by defining climate finance and its critical role in enabling low-carbon, climate-resilient development. She highlighted the persistent climate finance gap, underscoring the disparity between available funding and the scale of investment needed to meet global climate goals. The presentation explored the synergies between illustrating how aligned financial flows can accelerate progress on both climate and energy access fronts. Aimee unpacked various financing mechanisms and traced the movement of climate-related funds, using case studies from South Africa and Nigeria to ground the discussion in real-world examples. She addressed practical challenges such as access barriers, institutional capacity, and policy coherence, before concluding with actionable next steps and key takeaways, emphasising the urgency of mobilising finance to unlock transformative climate action.
To view the recording of the webinar and presentations please use the links down below:
The Growing Government Engagement in Energy Access project has been funded with UK aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.
Agricultural Policy and Institutional Arrangements to enable Climate-Smart Ricehttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Agricultural-policy-and-Institutional-arrangements-to-enable-climate-smart-rice.png1600900JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Agricultural Policy and Institutional Arrangements to enable Climate-Smart Rice
On the 12th of August 2025, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) hosted a webinar on “Agricultural Policy and Institutional Arrangements to enable Climate-Smart Rice”. This webinar explored how agricultural policy, and institutional arrangements can support the transition to climate-smart rice production. This session highlighted enabling policy frameworks and showcased national examples of innovative approaches and effective institutional coordination. The webinar also aided in identifying critical policy and institutional gaps that hinder the adoption of low-emission, climate-resilient rice practices.
Dr. Jimmy Lamo, Senior Principal Research Officer & Rice Breeding Lead at National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), opened the session on the Role of Research in Shaping Climate-Smart Policy. He emphasized that research provides the evidence needed to understand climate change, improve rice production, and reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, especially methane and nitrous oxide from rice farming practices. Dr. Lamo explained that key research areas include assessing climate impacts, developing resilient rice varieties through seed breeding, improving water and nutrient management, and promoting conservation agriculture such as perennial rice. He highlighted the importance of translating scientific findings into practical tools for policymakers and communities, supported by international collaboration and public awareness. Two case studies were shared: one on a high-yield, nutrient-efficient rice variety (WDR 7), and another on integrated pest management to reduce chemical use and promote crop rotation.
Dr. Mary Mutembei, Head of the Rice Promotion Programme at the State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Kenya, opened up the second session on Enabling policy environments for scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for rice. This session emphasized the critical role of policies and institutions in scaling-up climate-smart rice cultivation. Despite extensive research and innovation, adoption remains low due to inconsistent policies, limited farmer awareness, weak extension services, and inadequate financial incentives.
Dr. Mutembei highlighted the need for coherent policy frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and gender equity, while stressing the importance of ministries, research bodies, and advisory services in driving adoption. Approaches like farmer training, public-private partnerships, and market-based incentives were recommended to boost uptake. Ultimately, she called for stronger collaboration, better funding, and integration of climate goals into agricultural support systems to overcome challenges and accelerate adoption.
The final presentation was given by Rosemary Murori, Collaborative Research Scientist at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), on the importance of building stakeholder alignment across rice systems. During her presentation Murori emphasized the importance of building strong stakeholder and institutional alignment to effectively scale climate-smart rice technologies. She highlighted that rice is a vital crop for global food security, grown by millions of farmers and consuming significant water resources, making climate-smart solutions essential. Murori stressed that no single institution can tackle these challenges due to limited resources and diverse mandates, calling for collaboration across research centers, governments, private sector, and scaling partners. She underscored the need for market intelligence to guide research and breeding efforts, ensuring technologies meet the needs of farmers, consumers, and markets. It was emphasized that deploying technologies is not just about availability, it’s about timing and coordination. Seeds must be accessible when farmers need them, and digital tools should be used to predict demand and guide seed producers. Monitoring and evaluation are also vital to track adoption and inform policy decisions. Rosemary also highlighted the role of capacity building, showing how simple innovations, like upgrading seed dressing equipment, can dramatically improve efficiency and dissemination. Her message was clear: without strategic alignment and shared resources, even the best technologies risk remaining unused, limiting their potential to improve livelihoods and climate resilience.
To view the recording of the webinar and presentations please use the links down below:
Strategic Knowledge Exchange Visit on Rice GHG Sampling Methodshttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Group-Photo-of-ResearchTeam-and-Africa-Rice-Staff-e1762285951223.jpg1280880JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Strategic Knowledge Exchange Visit on Rice GHG Sampling Methods
From 11–13 June 2025, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP), in collaboration with AfricaRice, co-convened a “Strategic Knowledge Exchange Visit on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Sampling Methods”. The visit brought together researchers from the Institute for Agricultural Research – Ahmadu Bello University and Federal University Dutse (Nigeria), and the AfricaRice Center (Côte d’Ivoire), with the aim of fostering peer-to-peer learning and enhancing technical expertise in GHG emission measurement in rice cultivation.
Photo:Institute for Agricultural Research delegates at AfricaRice research center
This initiative supported the outcomes of a grant agreement between the SouthSouthNorth (SSN) and the Institute for Agricultural Research, focusing on building institutional capacity and strengthening collaboration between Nigerian institutions and AfricaRice. Over the course of three days, participants engaged in a combination of field visits, laboratory tours, and technical training.
The visit began with a warm welcome from the Deputy Director of Research and Innovation, followed by an overview of AfricaRice’s diverse programs and field visits to key experimental sites. Delegates explored cutting-edge research on biochar and nitrogen fertilizer trials, rice-fish culture systems, water and nutrient management, multiple-harvest rice varieties, cropping system diversification, and seed multiplication units.
The second day focused on greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement techniques, featuring in-depth sessions on static chamber-based sampling methods and practical demonstrations for methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide collection, complemented by laboratory visits to observe gas chromatography analysis.
Photo: Demonstration of GHG Sampling at AfricaRice’s Biodiversity Field
The exchange concluded with a shared commitment to continue collaboration, apply improved GHG measurement techniques in ongoing research, and contribute to the development of more accurate, climate-smart agricultural policies across West Africa.
Photo: Mr. Auwal from Nigeria taking a GHG Sample
Key Outcomes
Participants gained valuable experience in GHG data collection, handling, and analysis.
Strengthened research linkages/collaboration between Nigerian institutions and Africa Rice Center.
The training directly supports the effective rollout of the AfCAP-funded baseline GHG emissions project in Nigeria.
Insights from the workshop will guide future contributions to national climate reporting, including Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Advancing Climate-Smart Rice Production through Cross-Country Learninghttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9714-scaled-e1750336439571.jpg23291275JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4fb9f10e5393d67b0ee34ff87e5169450a2d31291a1f6bcb2bc0ea2692084456?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Advancing Climate-Smart Rice Production through Cross-Country Learning: Insights from Tanzania, Liberia and Kenya
From 26th to 28th May 2025, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP), in collaboration with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), hosted a country knowledge exchange visit on “Promoting Climate-Smart Rice Production in Tanzania, Liberia, and Kenya.” The event brought together rice experts and government representatives from the three countries to strengthen technical capacity, foster cross-country learning, and promote collaboration around climate-smart rice technologies and policy integration.
The first day laid the foundation for meaningful engagement, beginning with welcome remarks from Tanzanian officials and an introduction to TARI’s role in advancing rice research. AfCAP presented the objectives of the exchange and introduced the Rice Community of Practice (CoP), setting the tone for collaborative learning and regional knowledge sharing. Participants were also invited to share their expectations and network with peers from across the continent.
Photo: Delegates during Day 1’s opening Session
Morning sessions explored the broader context of rice cultivation under climate change, with experts discussing both the challenges and opportunities of adopting climate-smart practices. Country representatives from Tanzania, Kenya, and Liberia presented overviews of their national rice development strategies, offering comparative insights into efforts to enhance resilience and productivity. In the afternoon, an interactive group discussion focused on aligning national rice programmes, followed by a showcase of Tanzania’s innovations, highlighting new technologies and approaches for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Photo: Liberian & Kenyan Delegates during an interactive activity
The second day opened with reflections on insights gained from Day 1, providing a thoughtful transition into country-led knowledge sharing. Delegates from Kenya and Liberia presented their experiences with implementing climate-smart rice practices. Their presentations highlighted innovative field technologies, such as improved water management systems and low-emission farming methods, alongside policy frameworks that support these initiatives. These sessions provided participants with valuable perspectives on how national contexts shape the adoption of climate-smart solutions.
Photo: Liberian delegate providing feedback during the interactivity from Day 2
In the afternoon, an engaging interactive session allowed participants to discuss how lessons learned could be adapted to their own country programmes. Topics included emission reduction strategies, resilience building, and productivity enhancement, all while supporting farmer livelihoods. Key takeaways were captured by rapporteurs and shared in plenary, emphasizing the importance of continued cross-country collaboration. The day closed with an introduction to the upcoming field visits, which would allow participants to observe how research, policy, and practice intersect in Tanzania’s rice sector.
Photo: Delegates at the Murzah Wilmar Rice Millers
The final day of the exchange featured a field tour to key irrigation schemes and research facilities in Tanzania, offering participants a firsthand look at climate-smart innovations in action. The tour began at Murzah Wilmar Rice Millers in Morogoro, where delegates observed the full rice processing chain, from seed cleaning and milling to final packaging. This visit offered valuable insights into how private sector engagement and post-harvest technologies are improving efficiency, reducing losses, and strengthening the resilience of rice value chains.
Photo: AfCAP Secretariat with delegates at local rice farmer’s paddy field
As part of the field visit, the group also met a local rice farmer working in the paddy fields, who shared practical insights into his cultivation practices. He demonstrated key techniques such as efficient water management, crop rotation, and the use of improved seed varieties, all aimed at boosting productivity while adapting to climate variability. This visit provided participants with a ground-level perspective on how climate-smart practices are being implemented at the farm level.
This hands-on experience complemented the technical sessions held throughout the exchange, underscoring the importance of bridging the gap between research and real-world application. Witnessing these practices in the field highlighted the need for continued collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and farmers to ensure that innovations are not only developed but also adopted in ways that are practical, scalable, and sustainable.
To read more about the outcomes and next steps from the event, download the meeting report below:
Advancing Climate-Smart Rice Cultivation in Francophone Africa
Between the 11th – 13th of February 2025, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP), in collaboration with AfricaRice, co-convened the Francophone Rice Regional Forum entitled “Promouvoir la Riziculture Intelligente face au Climat en Afrique” in Bouake, Cote D’Ivoire. The forum brought together government agencies, national agricultural research centres and key stakeholders from Cote D’Ivoire, DRC, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal, Madagascar and Guinea.
The multi-day regional forum brought together researchers, scientists, policymakers, and key public and private rice sector representatives to share knowledge and explore challenges and opportunities in adopting climate-smart rice practices, technologies, and tools to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Africa’s rice sector.
The forum opened with introductory sessions that set the scene for discussions by defining key themes and objectives. A key highlight was the exploration of synergies between food security, climate resilience and GHG mitigation, emphasizing integrated approaches. Participants engaged in interactive activities to establish priorities before moving onto country-specific experiences. Day 1 concluded with reflections on best practices and innovative solutions implemented across the region.
Photo:Delegates during a group activity
The second day shifted focus to the design of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and strategies to strengthen national program support. Day 2 concluded with discussions on reinforcing commitments and ensuring long-term implementation.
Photo:Delegates at the M’be research station at AfricaRice
The final day of the forum provided hands-on learning through field and laboratory visits at the M’be Research Station. Delegates explored innovative rice farming techniques, including biochar application, nitrogen-based fertilizers, rice-fish systems, and water and fertilizer management strategies. These visits offered practical insights into diversification and multiple rice harvest systems tailored for Africa. The event officially concluded following the field visit.
This forum served as a vital platform for fostering collaboration, aligning strategies and driving sustainable rice cultivation transformation in response to climate challenges.
ICS and Climate Finance: Synergising Efforts for Sustainable Development
The global shift toward sustainable development and climate resilience has highlighted the link between energy, health, and the environment. Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) are key to reducing household air pollution, reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and providing economic benefits to economies. Climate finance—funds from developed nations and other sources—supports developing countries in reducing emissions and adapting to climate change. Integrating climate finance mechanisms is crucial to scaling ICS adoption and transitioning to cleaner energy. By providing financial support and investing in capacity-building, research and development, sustainable and locally driven solutions for clean cooking can be developed and aid in the reduction of GHG emissions and combat climate change.
Given this, on the 30th of October 2024, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) funded GIZ programme “Promotion of Climate-Friendly Cooking: Kenya and Senegal” co-hosted and resumed the webinar series on “Promoting ICS for reaching NDC targets”. The third webinar entitled “ICS and Climate Finance: Synergising Efforts for Sustainable Development” provided insights to the climate finance landscape and opportunities for clean cooking projects and explain how setting NDC targets can result into climate financing.
This webinar explored the role of climate finance in promoting ICS. Participants learnt about various climate financing mechanisms, the synergies between NDCs targets and climate financing. Best practices and success stories and innovative strategies to encourage collaboration among stakeholders were shared.
To view the recording of the webinar and presentations please use the links down below:
