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Mpumalanga seeks bidders for agrivoltaics development

The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land, and Environmental Affairs in Mpumalanga has issued an Expression of Interest for investors to partner with the department to establish, manage and operate agrivoltaics in selected Mpumalanga agriculture & agro-processing farms & facilities.

Deadline: 10 April 2025

There will be a compulsory briefing meeting on 18 March at the Riverside Office Park, Cycad Building Block 4, Ehlanzeni District Office at 12pm.

The use of land both to produce photovoltaic energy through the installation of solar panels and also to carry out pastoral and crop farming activities is known as agrivoltaic. The department wants investors to collaborate with the government in providing sustainable energy solutions that reduce reliance on the national grid, support critical infrastructure and promote green growth in the province.

In line with the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan implementation, the department has identified opportunities for agrivoltaic implementation at both primary and secondary produce within various farms and agro-processing infrastructure/facilities.

All the agricultural-based properties currently rely on local power supply-supplied electricity.

The department states that analysis indicates that this dependency threatens the long-term viability of the market and the projects due to the recently experienced instability of the local power supply and municipal load reduction programmes. Frequent power interruptions put farmers’ profits at risk, as fresh fruits, vegetables and other agricultural commodities’ sold through the market are highly perishable.

Investors are therefore invited to submit proposals for the establishment of agrivoltaics, including the management and operation of the expanded solar energy solutions to support the identified facilities as part of the first phase.

The proposed establishment of agrivoltaics is intended to be rolled out to key selected agricultural centres in the Mpumalanga province, namely:

• Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market
• Mpumalanga Agripark
• Senteeko Tea Estate
• Mkhondo Agrihub & One Stop Centre
• Nkomazi Spatial Economic Zone
• Mkhuhlu Agrihub
• Farmer Training Centre (& Bakgatla Farm)
• Dr JS Moroka Agrihub
• Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality Vegetable Basket Land
• Reform Farms & Fortune 40 Farm

Expression of Interest documents will be obtainable from

• the Bid Office, Mbombela Riverside,
• Government Complex, Malelane, 24 Air Street, Siyabuswa Old Parliament Building, Middleburg,
• Department of Public Works, KwaMhlanga Government Complex Department of Finance, Piet Retief,
• no 11 Mearsorch Street, Evander 10 Cornell Road, Elukwatini Sub-Regional Offices, and
• Bushbuckridge Advice Centre, Department of Finance,

on payment of a non-refundable levy of R200

The document can be collected between 7.45am and 4pm. Cheques shall be made payable to Mpumalanga Provincial Government.

For more information

Head Of Department
Mpumalanga Dept Of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land And Environmental Affairs
Private Bag X11219
Mbombela,
1200

Contact: Eng J Jiyane (Pr Eng)

Contact No: 072 654 8272