Exploring the nexus of solar adoption, sustainability, and rural community development through the role of white commercial farmers: The case of Mkushi, Zambia

Persistent rural energy poverty, weak institutional service delivery, and socio-environmental vulnerability continue to constrain equitable development in many rural settings. While decentralised solar technologies offer promising alternatives, their uptake remains uneven and poorly understood, particularly regarding the role of unconventional actors such as white commercial farmers (WCFs). This study addresses a critical research gap by exploring whether, and in what ways, WCFs facilitate solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption, foster environmental sustainability, and contribute to rural community development. Using a multi-sited qualitative case study in Mkushi and surrounding rural districts, the study engaged 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews with WCFs, 1 focus group discussion and 3 interviews with key stakeholders from the energy sector and government policy institutions. Findings reveal that WCFs are not passive economic agents but actively engage in energy transitions and socio-environmental governance. Their contributions span community infrastructure provision, informal solar finance, and conservation-oriented agricultural practices. WCFs also act as intermediaries between local communities and external actors, although their efforts are often constrained by affordability barriers, policy fragmentation, and institutional inertia. The study recommends strengthening cross-sector collaboration to integrate WCFs into national solar strategies, incentivising off-grid systems through land and infrastructure partnerships, and securing solar investments through community-driven security solutions. Furthermore, environmental stewardship programmes should be scaled and linked to energy policy through participatory frameworks. This research provides new insights into the intersecting domains of decentralised energy, agrarian development, and environmental transitions, offering practical and theoretical contributions to more inclusive and context-responsive rural energy policy. • WCFs support rural solar transitions through land, infrastructure, and informal finance. • WCFs act as local development intermediaries in underserved rural communities. • Conservation agriculture and reforestation reflect strong environmental stewardship. • Solar uptake is hindered by theft, affordability, and institutional bottlenecks. • WCFs are underutilised actors in Zambia's decentralised energy landscape.