RES4Africa Foundation announces its upcoming side event “Agrivoltaics: Harvesting Solar Energy in the Mediterranean”, to be held on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, from 14:00 to 15:30 at the Agrisolar Arena (Pavilion C1), within the framework of MacFRUT – the international fruit and vegetable trade fair held at the Rimini Expo Centre, Italy.

The Mediterranean region is increasingly recognised as a climate change hotspot. According to the IPCC, the area could face a temperature rise of around 2°C, significant sea level increases, a reduction in precipitation, and more frequent extreme weather events by the end of the century. While the region is rich in solar resources and has seen rapid growth in large-scale photovoltaic deployment, this development often competes with agricultural land and water resources, further straining food and water security.

Agrivoltaics presents an innovative solution to these interconnected challenges. By integrating solar photovoltaic systems with agricultural production on the same land, agrivoltaics allows for the simultaneous generation of clean energy and cultivation of crops. This dual-use approach enhances land-use efficiency, supports rural livelihoods, and promotes environmental sustainability. Despite its growing relevance, the adoption of agrivoltaics remains limited in several African Mediterranean countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. The event organised by RES4Africa aims to explore the current status of agrivoltaics in the region, identify key barriers to its uptake, and provide policy recommendations to support its wider deployment.

The session will feature the presentation of RES4Africa’s report Agrivoltaics: Harvesting Solar Energy in the Mediterranean, followed by a panel discussion gathering experts from the public and private sectors.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Diuma Kobor, General Director, ANER

• Marcella Uttaro, Of Counsel – Market Access & Development, Andersen

• Carlo Gioffrè, Energy Public Law Coordinator, Andersen Italia (online)

• Simona De Iuliis, Head of Technical Support Service, Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, ENEA

• Alessio Pinzone, CEO, Res Farm

• Mostafa El Naggari, Chairman, Agriculture and Irrigation Committee, Egyptian Businessmen Association; Deputy Chairman, Egyptian Exporters Association

• Romain Sonney, Key Account Manager & Project Developer, Insolight

• Maurizio Cocchi, Project Manager, ETA Florence

Participation is open to all stakeholders engaged in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and food-water-energy nexus issues.

For further information and registration, please visit the official MacFRUT website at www.macfrut.com.

Download our report Agrivoltaics: Harvesting Solar Energy in the Mediterranean