Friday 18 March 2022

Coldplay chooses solar farming project to kick off eco-tour

Pop band Coldplay has chosen to support a project in Costa Rica that uses renewable energy to boost farming.

The band’s first night of its new eco-tour starts in the Central American country and it has decided to give back to the local community by collaborating on the project.

Led by South African company Knowledge Pele and backed by the Costa Rican Energy Ministry, the agricultural project will be built in the province of Puntarenas.

Knowledge Pele builds projects to grow local economies in developing countries in a sustainable way and was founded by Fumani Mthembi.

This project will use solar power to grow crops and will be placed in female ownership to enhance gender inclusivity in the industry.

Mthembi’s company will now be an official sustainability affiliate of the British band’s tour, receiving funding directly from Coldplay.

She is a graduate from the University of Sussex, which has also joined the project, providing postgraduates to support its development.

Mthembi commented: “We are honoured to be working with partners that we revere to take our work to the global stage.

“Our intention is to take our experience from the South African market to new geographies, demonstrating that social, environmental and economic returns are not only complimentary but can be achieved in unison.

“The growing global food crisis is in tandem with an escalating climate crisis. It therefore stands to reason that solutions to the food crisis must factor in climate change.”

Coldplay’s show begins tonight at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in the capital, San Jose.