Rural Energy: A Practical Primer for Productive Applications

Lack of access to reliable and affordable electricity services in rural areas significantly diminishes the opportunities for the development of many economically productive activities, including irrigation, agro-enterprise, and fishing. Reliable and affordable energy is a vital input to many agricultural and post-harvest processes. Adding energy to agricultural production and processing is an important way to grow beyond subsistence farming and the selling of raw materials toward the potential of added value. Fortunately, there are decentralized and commercially proven energy alternatives including those that harness renewable energy. Many of these are now technically and financially viable, even in remote rural areas. This learning tool provides an overview of these technologies and their appropriate applications in the field, and includes best practice examples used on a significant scale in agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, and related enterprises (e.g., food processing) in many developing countries. It explores necessary considerations in the choice of energy and how such projects could be formulated and executed.