Idris Nechirvan Barzani, President and Founder of Rwanga Foundation, is pioneering a new approach to sustainable development, which is taking shape in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Rural communities, once limited in their prospects for development, are beginning to rely fully on renewable energy, with practical economic gains being seen as a result.

Villages once constrained by unreliable power supplies are now fully operating on solar energy systems introduced through the Rwanga Foundation. Its founder, Idris Nechirvan Barzani, a businessman and philanthropist, has spearheaded this change, with a focus which has increasingly turned to climate leadership and local economic resilience.

Many of these villages are small, home to only a few hundred citizens. The impact thus far has been significant, not only because of the fact that homes, clinics, schools and public buildings now operate with reliable clean power but also in light of the way in which such a model can be replicated across the country, and beyond. The stability provided with the help of reliable sources of power has begun to revive agricultural activity, improve water-irrigation systems and lift some of the burdens that have long held back rural producers. The Kulak and Gri Bie villages have been the pioneer sites for these electrification projects. Residents now describe a renewed confidence in investing their time and resources into farming, processing and small-scale production. Indeed, income opportunities are widening in a way that did not exist before.

Idris Nechirvan Barzani has spoken about the need to strengthen rural communities, highlighting the way in which they play a central role in the broader region’s economic and environmental stability. Reflecting his Foundation’s work specifically, he noted: “Clean energy is about much more than electricity. Access to stable sources of power gives residents control over their future and the ability to build a stronger, economic life.”

His view is particularly relevant in the semi-arid Kurdistan Region of Iraq where rural populations have struggled and agriculture has weakened under the combined weight of drought, limited infrastructure and economic uncertainty. Access to renewable power has the potential to reverse this trajectory, something which Barzani hopes to accomplish through these projects.

The development model, supported by the climate leadership of Idris Nechirvan Barzani, carries a wider significance across the Gulf, where governments and leading companies are investing heavily in renewable energy and climate-aligned industries. The progress of these Kurdish villages shows how clean power can encourage local enterprise and contribute to regional food security, a theme increasingly present in Gulf investment strategies.

As Riyadh and other Gulf capitals look to expand sustainable agriculture, technology and green supply chains, the experience of the Kurdistan Region offers a practical example of how climate-focused development can support citizens directly.

The Rwanga Foundation’s projects are still growing, but they are already demonstrating how renewable energy, when paired with targeted development work, can create new economic activity and opportunities. Idris Nechirvan Barzani’s leadership has been central to shaping this effort and has given many communities a workable path toward greater stability, productivity and self-reliance.