Building Climate Resilience Through Private Sector Partnerships

In Zambia, the worst drought in decades has strained hydroelectricity-dependent power supplies over the past year. The energy crisis is so severe that millions of people face rolling blackouts that leave them with only a few hours of power each day. Manufacturers are shutting down or relying on diesel generators, while families are forced to cook over portable gas stoves—if they can find fuel at all. These options not only strain the wallets of families and businesses but also reduce air quality and release more greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.  

This is the kind of social and environmental challenge that GENESIS Energy Group aims to address as it invests in efforts to “light up Africa one community at a time.” Recently, GENESIS proposed the development of a $90 million renewable energy project in an agricultural region of Zambia’s central province, with the goal of installing energy infrastructure to generate 40 megawatts (MW) of solar power and 31 MW of wind power. This project would diversify Zambia’s energy resources, provide enough electricity to power approximately 300,000 homes, and could help the country avoid up to 60,800 tons of carbon emissions. 

To realize this project, however, GENESIS needed support in securing the necessary agreements, permits, and financing. This is where the Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI) comes in. CACCI, a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) global program, led by Abt Global, provides technical, analytical, and capacity assistance to help countries develop and implement climate policies that benefit both the environment and marginalized communities.  

CACCI also partners with businesses through its Partnership for Climate Action (PCA) platform, which helps the private sector contribute to climate resilience goals through investment and innovation. Through this platform, CACCI's Africa regional officer connected GENESIS with Zambian ministries and related agencies to help the company navigate regulatory processes and advance agreements such as Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Power Purchasing Agreements. CACCI experts also connected GENESIS with Power Africa, a USAID initiative that aims to bring 30,000 MW of electricity to sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Now, GENESIS is in discussions with Power Africa to leverage its resources to prepare bankable renewable energy projects and overcome obstacles to other energy deals across its portfolio. 

Thanks in part to CACCI’s support, the company has committed to investing $2 billion in energy infrastructure across Africa over the next few years, contributing to a larger $10 billion commitment under the PCA. Since joining the PCA, GENESIS has advanced or unlocked a portfolio of 5,600 MW of projects across Africa and anticipates outcomes including the creation of 30,000 full-time jobs and a reduction of 6.65 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. GENESIS sees its collaboration with USAID and CACCI as crucial to expanding energy access and driving a just and resilient transition to renewable power across Africa.

How Rural Wi-Fi Is Helping Improve Crop Yields 

Deep in the mountains of West Java, Indonesia, in the remote village of Argamukti, a basic lack of telecommunications infrastructure leaves people without affordable internet service. This isolation complicates the community’s ability to access basic services such as education and healthcare and makes it harder for local farmers to manage weather risks and maximize agricultural productivity.  

To bridge this gap, technology company Veea, which specializes in edge computing to process data quickly and locally, is providing satellite-based wireless internet to Argamukti. Thanks to this initiative, students are now able to access digital education content, and villagers no longer have to travel long distances for in-person medical consultations—they can access telehealth services right from their community. 

Veea’s technology also makes it easier for industries like farming to use real-time data; farmers in Argamukti can now monitor local weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop health and make adjustments to optimize their agricultural outputs while reducing the use of water, fertilizers, and pesticides. By integrating weather and climate data into crop management, farmers can plan for droughts or heavy rainfall that risks crop damage.  

To build on that success, Veea has partnered with CACCI through the PCA to expand its technology into parts of Southeast Asia and other USAID priority countries facing food insecurity. Through this partnership, CACCI has connected Veea with the Purdue Applied Research Institute and the International Food Policy Research Institute, with the goal of helping the company gather local insights and lessons learned from previous U.S. government initiatives aimed at fighting global hunger. While discussions are ongoing, this knowledge could ultimately enable Veea to enter new markets, help farmers grow more climate-resilient crops, and make countries more food secure.