By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The multifunctional facility of Volkswagen Group Africa located in Gashora, Rwanda, about 60km from the capital, Kigali, has commenced operations.
Recall that in June 2023, Volkswagen Group Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rwanda to provide land for the establishment of the GenFarm Project.
It is a holistic ecosystem of e-powered mechanised farming services for rural areas in Africa that is reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. It also provides mobility services for the transportation of goods and people.
The GenFarm Project is piloted in Rwanda in partnership with Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda and Volkswagen Group Innovation Centre Europe.
The Empowerment Hub (e-Hub), currently a pre-Hub built around specifically equipped standard containers while in the initial phase, will be a key component of the GenFarm.
Preparation for the construction of the actual e-Hub is underway and is expected to be operational by the first half of 2025.
Equipped with a photovoltaic power system and an energy storage system, the e-Hub will supply clean energy, storage space and business space to the cooperatives. This includes space for their service operations, e-tractor services, and e-scooter services.
Volkswagen Group Innovation Centre Europe supplies the e-tractors and provides equipment for the project from Wolfsburg in Germany while Volkswagen Mobile Solutions Rwanda is the catalyst in operating the pilot hub and provides input and support to the operations.
The Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa, Ms Martina Biene, commenting on the development, said, “We are growing our footprint in Africa and regard Rwanda as a key growth market. This project demonstrates our commitment to sustainable practices and highlights our ability to provide mobility solutions to the rural community in addition to the urban community currently serviced by our Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda business.
“The GenFarm Project fosters technological innovation and aligns with Volkswagen Group’s strategy to generate meaningful value for both society and the environment through sustainable mobility.”
Also, the Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Innovation, Mr Nikolai Ardey, said, “We want to offer various services in the empowerment hubs. Farmers can book an e-tractor including a trained driver for affordable sustainable farming.
“The unique selling point of the project is the use of the battery swap system. In this way, the battery becomes part of the hub’s energy infrastructure as well as energy storage for the tractor.”