A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa
In rural sub-Saharan Africa – the global poverty hotspot – the vast majority of cropland is rainfed only, resulting in reduced and unstable yields. Smallholder farmers account for 80% of agricultural production but they have limited access to relevant services to support both commercial operations a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X2200116X |
| _version_ | 1798002092107890688 |
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| author | Giacomo Falchetta Adedoyin Adeleke Mohammed Awais Edward Byers Philippe Copinschi Sam Duby Alison Hughes Gregory Ireland Keywan Riahi Simon Rukera-Tabaro Francesco Semeria Diana Shendrikova Nicolò Stevanato André Troost Marta Tuninetti Adriano Vinca Ackim Zulu Manfred Hafner |
| author_facet | Giacomo Falchetta Adedoyin Adeleke Mohammed Awais Edward Byers Philippe Copinschi Sam Duby Alison Hughes Gregory Ireland Keywan Riahi Simon Rukera-Tabaro Francesco Semeria Diana Shendrikova Nicolò Stevanato André Troost Marta Tuninetti Adriano Vinca Ackim Zulu Manfred Hafner |
| author_sort | Giacomo Falchetta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In rural sub-Saharan Africa – the global poverty hotspot – the vast majority of cropland is rainfed only, resulting in reduced and unstable yields. Smallholder farmers account for 80% of agricultural production but they have limited access to relevant services to support both commercial operations and their livelihoods: more than two-thirds of rural dwellers have no access to electricity (crucial for crop irrigation, processing, and storage) and about 40% have no access to clean water. Previous research has analysed integrated technological and resource management approaches to tackle these overlapping development gaps. To finance and implement such transformations in resource-constrained settings, it is now crucial to understand the business and investment implications, also considering the strong regional population growth and the increasing frequency and intensity of climate extremes. Here, we lay out a research agenda that promotes the integration of multi-scale modelling excellence along the climate-water-renewable energy-agriculture-development Nexus and the creation of robust business models for private companies that can sustainably support private smallholder farmers of SSAin their effort to eradicate poverty and inequality. The proposed agenda is a cornerstone of the EC-H2020 project LEAP-RE RE4AFAGRI (“Renewable Energy for African Agriculture: Integrating Modelling Excellence and Robust Business Models”). In proposing the agenda, we highlight the importance of integrating energy access into the Nexus framework from both research and investment perspectives. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:46:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-933805688fea44538d69f075d5a9a2e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-467X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:46:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-933805688fea44538d69f075d5a9a2e32022-12-22T04:25:32ZengElsevierEnergy Strategy Reviews2211-467X2022-09-0143100922A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan AfricaGiacomo Falchetta0Adedoyin Adeleke1Mohammed Awais2Edward Byers3Philippe Copinschi4Sam Duby5Alison Hughes6Gregory Ireland7Keywan Riahi8Simon Rukera-Tabaro9Francesco Semeria10Diana Shendrikova11Nicolò Stevanato12André Troost13Marta Tuninetti14Adriano Vinca15Ackim Zulu16Manfred Hafner17International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, Austria; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo Sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Italy, Università Ca'Foscari Venezia, Italy and RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment, Fondamenta S. Giobbe, 873, 30121, Venice, Italy; Corresponding author. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, Austria.Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini Via Lambruschini, 4, 20156, Milan, ItalyInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, Austria; Institute for Integrated Energy Systems, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, AustriaHEAS AG, Gulmstrasse 60, 6315, Oberägeri, Switzerland; SciencesPo PSIA, 28 Rue des Saints-Pères, 75007, Paris, FranceTFE Africa, 152 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South AfricaUniversity of Cape Town (UCT), Energy Systems Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Cape Town, South AfricaUniversity of Cape Town (UCT), Energy Systems Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Cape Town, South AfricaInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, AustriaCollege of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, PO Box 210, Musanze, RwandaDipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Ambiente, del Territorio e delle Infrastrutture, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, ItalyDepartment of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini Via Lambruschini, 4, 20156, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini Via Lambruschini, 4, 20156, Milan, ItalyTFE Africa, 152 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7945, South AfricaDipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Ambiente, del Territorio e delle Infrastrutture, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, ItalyInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schloßpl. 1, 2361, Laxenburg, AustriaSchool of Engineering, University of Zambia, Box 32379, Lusaka, ZambiaHEAS AG, Gulmstrasse 60, 6315, Oberägeri, Switzerland; SciencesPo PSIA, 28 Rue des Saints-Pères, 75007, Paris, France; John Hopkins University SAIS, Via Beniamino Andreatta, 3, 40126, Bologna, ItalyIn rural sub-Saharan Africa – the global poverty hotspot – the vast majority of cropland is rainfed only, resulting in reduced and unstable yields. Smallholder farmers account for 80% of agricultural production but they have limited access to relevant services to support both commercial operations and their livelihoods: more than two-thirds of rural dwellers have no access to electricity (crucial for crop irrigation, processing, and storage) and about 40% have no access to clean water. Previous research has analysed integrated technological and resource management approaches to tackle these overlapping development gaps. To finance and implement such transformations in resource-constrained settings, it is now crucial to understand the business and investment implications, also considering the strong regional population growth and the increasing frequency and intensity of climate extremes. Here, we lay out a research agenda that promotes the integration of multi-scale modelling excellence along the climate-water-renewable energy-agriculture-development Nexus and the creation of robust business models for private companies that can sustainably support private smallholder farmers of SSAin their effort to eradicate poverty and inequality. The proposed agenda is a cornerstone of the EC-H2020 project LEAP-RE RE4AFAGRI (“Renewable Energy for African Agriculture: Integrating Modelling Excellence and Robust Business Models”). In proposing the agenda, we highlight the importance of integrating energy access into the Nexus framework from both research and investment perspectives.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X2200116XRural developmentWater-energy-food-economy NexusPrivate investmentSustainable business modelsEnergy accessRenewable energy |
| spellingShingle | Giacomo Falchetta Adedoyin Adeleke Mohammed Awais Edward Byers Philippe Copinschi Sam Duby Alison Hughes Gregory Ireland Keywan Riahi Simon Rukera-Tabaro Francesco Semeria Diana Shendrikova Nicolò Stevanato André Troost Marta Tuninetti Adriano Vinca Ackim Zulu Manfred Hafner A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa Energy Strategy Reviews Rural development Water-energy-food-economy Nexus Private investment Sustainable business models Energy access Renewable energy |
| title | A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | renewable energy centred research agenda for planning and financing nexus development objectives in rural sub saharan africa |
| topic | Rural development Water-energy-food-economy Nexus Private investment Sustainable business models Energy access Renewable energy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X2200116X |
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