LIKE air and water, electricity is essential in our daily lives. It has become a major part of our modern life, and it is one of the most noteworthy innovations of all time.
Electricity also provides entertainment and communication. Television, radio, and computers use electricity to operate.
Modern communication gadgets like cell phones run primarily with the use of electricity.
Schools and medical facilities like hospitals need electricity to run efficiently.
Electricity plays an important role in hospitals and other health institutions.
Industries worldwide use electricity in their everyday operation. It allows innovation and modern technology to give comfort to everyone. Indeed, one cannot think of a world without electricity.
In developing countries like Zambia, electricity accelerates development as it boosts economic activities, although its supply is mainly concentrated in urban areas.
This concentration of electricity supply in urban areas decelerates rural development. For this cause, Government has been investing colossal sums of money in electrification of rural areas to increase economic activities.
As such, it is good news that this year funding to the rural electrification programme implemented by the Rural Electricity Authority (REA) has been increased.
According to chief executive officer Linus Chanda, REA is this year anticipated to implement 141 projects countrywide following the recent approval of the 2024 budget by the board.
These projects are a combination of grid extension, renewable energy, solar home systems, biogas for schools, and one wind power plant.
“The allocation for 2024 has roughly increased by about 47 percent of what we had last year. This year we have got an allocation of around K743 million from K490 million [last year],” Mr Chanda has told us.
Surely, this is a massive stride and we hope that the budgets for REA will continue increasing so that the electrification programme can be fasttracked to improve rural livelihoods.Electricity is the backbone and driving
force of any productive economy, and rural electrification presents an opportunity to boost various economic activities in Zambia such as agriculture, commerce, and small-scale industries.
Electricity is used not only for lighting and household purposes, but it also allows for mechanisation of many farming operations, such as threshing, milking, and hoisting grain for storage.
In areas facing labour shortages, this allows for greater productivity at reduced cost.
Availability of electricity stimulates agricultural production and processing, enhances tourism, and facilitates smallscale mining operations in rural areas, thus creating employment and reducing poverty levels.
Electricity access improves the gross income of all households, irrespective of the initial level of income at the time they are exposed to power.
Health in electrified villages appears to improve through better living conditions at home and through electricity usage in hospitals.
With electricity, there are more learners studying for longer durations, and higher enrolments in non-formal education in electrified villages.
Electrification supports such economic activities as shops and kiosks, groceries, restaurants, hair-cutting and beauty salons.
Electricity makes life easier and more pleasurable by allowing businesses and stalls to function even during the night.
Overall, human development is better in electrified villages, and we encourage Government to continue investing in rural electrification initiatives to improve rural people’s economic status.
Rural electrification spurs growth
LIKE air and water, electricity is essential in our daily lives. It has become a major part of our modern life, and it is one of the most noteworthy innovations of all time.
Electricity also provides entertainment and communication. Television, radio, and computers use electricity to operate.
Modern communication gadgets like cell phones run primarily with the use of electricity.
Schools and medical facilities like hospitals need electricity to run efficiently.
Electricity plays an important role in hospitals and other health institutions.
Industries worldwide use electricity in their everyday operation. It allows innovation and modern technology to give comfort to everyone. Indeed, one cannot think of a world without electricity.
In developing countries like Zambia, electricity accelerates development as it boosts economic activities, although its supply is mainly concentrated in urban areas.
This concentration of electricity supply in urban areas decelerates rural development. For this cause, Government has been investing colossal sums of money in electrification of rural areas to increase economic activities.
As such, it is good news that this year funding to the rural electrification programme implemented by the Rural Electricity Authority (REA) has been increased.
According to chief executive officer Linus Chanda, REA is this year anticipated to implement 141 projects countrywide following the recent approval of the 2024 budget by the board.
These projects are a combination of grid extension, renewable energy, solar home systems, biogas for schools, and one wind power plant.
“The allocation for 2024 has roughly increased by about 47 percent of what we had last year. This year we have got an allocation of around K743 million from K490 million [last year],” Mr Chanda has told us.
Surely, this is a massive stride and we hope that the budgets for REA will continue increasing so that the electrification programme can be fasttracked to improve rural livelihoods.Electricity is the backbone and driving
force of any productive economy, and rural electrification presents an opportunity to boost various economic activities in Zambia such as agriculture, commerce, and small-scale industries.
Electricity is used not only for lighting and household purposes, but it also allows for mechanisation of many farming operations, such as threshing, milking, and hoisting grain for storage.
In areas facing labour shortages, this allows for greater productivity at reduced cost.
Availability of electricity stimulates agricultural production and processing, enhances tourism, and facilitates smallscale mining operations in rural areas, thus creating employment and reducing poverty levels.
Electricity access improves the gross income of all households, irrespective of the initial level of income at the time they are exposed to power.
Health in electrified villages appears to improve through better living conditions at home and through electricity usage in hospitals.
With electricity, there are more learners studying for longer durations, and higher enrolments in non-formal education in electrified villages.
Electrification supports such economic activities as shops and kiosks, groceries, restaurants, hair-cutting and beauty salons.
Electricity makes life easier and more pleasurable by allowing businesses and stalls to function even during the night.
Overall, human development is better in electrified villages, and we encourage Government to continue investing in rural electrification initiatives to improve rural people’s economic status.