Since the global economic crisis that began in 2008, Casa do Gaiato de Moçambique has been trying to increase its own income more and more, through the management of the 500 hectares of agricultural land that the Casa do Gaiato has. The farm of the Casa do Gaiato, known as the Fazenda, constitutes a fundamental source of agricultural and horticultural food (corn, potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage...) and meat (chickens, pigs, calves, etc.) for the children and young people of the House, as well as for 165 women and their families from the surroundings of the Casa who use their land as a means of subsistence. To be able to carry out all these activities related to the growth and harvest of the plantations and the livestock, the energy needs of the Fazenda are important. It is key for the economic and social development of Casa do Gaiato to rely on a reliable, safe and affordable electricity supply.

Provide the agricultural area managed by Casa do Gaiato, a non-profit orphanage, and school, with affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity supply

Promoter: Fundación Energía sin Fronteras

Country & location: Mozambique, Massaca, district of Boane, province of Maputo

Category: Energy & Water and Agriculture

To tackle the issue of expensive electricity bills, unreliable supply and usage of non-sustainable fuels such as diesel, a solar PV and storage system will be installed in the agricultural area of Casa do Gaiato, increasing profitability and income for maintenance of the facilities and needs for the children and the school. The new PV system will provide them with reliability and quality of supply and with a decrease in fuel consumption and dependency, which will benefit all activities performed in the compound, as expensive appliances and machinery will last for longer, they will count on more reliable lightning, and the professional workers will benefit from improved working condition, without incurring in large expenditures of diesel or having to stop the production during grid blackouts.

With the project, Casa Do Gaiato will be able to power:

• 6 electric pumps that supply water from wells to the fields and orchards.
• Heating lamps in the 4 aviaries to promote the raising of 7.000 chickens.
• Food distribution machine for the pigsty with capacity for 500 pigs
• Machinery of the slaughterhouse for chickens, pigs and calves.
• rrigation system
• Refrigerating chambers to preserve fruits and meat and 3 freezers with capacity for 400chickens.
• Internal and external lighting.
• A mill
• 5 computers

For Fundación Energía Sin Fronteras, energy, water and sanitation are vectors of social transformation, necessary and essential for development. 

Expected results:

• Casa do Gaiato will be more self-sufficient regarding the electricity supply 
• Cost and time efficient operation increasing production and improving the results of the agriculture activities 
• Cost savings in electricity and diesel (expected to save 2985 USD/year) to finance Casa do Gaiato’s own activities of the Fazenda 
• 5 members of the staff and 15 trainees selected among the residents of the orphanage and from the youth attending the Casa do Gaiato school will be trained on renewable energies, solar PV systems, and O&M 
• Decrease the dependence on fossil fuels and the reduction of CO2 emissions (~3ton CO2/year estimated)

Impact (results)