Studying Time: 3 minutes
The Meals and Agriculture Group of the United Nations (FAO) lately organized a webinar on the theme of ‘Photo voltaic Power and Agricultural Improvement in West Africa’ at its sub-regional workplace in Ghana to showcase its achievements. The company hosted greater than 30 shareholders and companions and highlighted the significance of photo voltaic power for the transformation of agrifood techniques in West Africa and the international locations of the Sahel.
The webinar was organized in collaboration with the ECOWAS Heart for Renewable Power and Power Effectivity (ECREEE). The specialised company of ECOWAS gives the chance to overview the alternatives and advantages of the participation of renewable power within the agro-sylvo-pastoral sector in addition to fishing actions.
Francis Semporé, Government Director of ECREEE, talked about that agriculture is the principle financial exercise within the ECOWAS area, which contributes about 35% of the GDP and employs virtually 65% of the inhabitants of the West African area. Semporé has dedicated to institutional collaboration with FAO to supply the usage of renewable power options within the sub-regional agricultural sector.
Photo voltaic power performs an essential function within the manufacturing stage to the storage stage of the agri-food worth chain. It helps to extend productiveness, scale back post-harvest losses, strengthen the local weather stability of farmers, and enhance the residing situations of the inhabitants.
FAO has supplied important assist to enhance entry and environment friendly use of water for sustainable agricultural intensification, and earnings era by the use and deployment of photo voltaic power infrastructure, in international locations similar to Burkina Faso, The Gambia , Mali, Niger, and Senegal.
Based on FAO, greater than 1350 ladies in rural Mali have benefited from photo voltaic irrigation infrastructure for his or her vegetable gardens. Round 4,000 households together with 1880 ladies are the beneficiaries of the photo voltaic irrigation system in 120 hectares of land and 5 vegetable gardens with a complete space of 10 hectares.
In Niger, about 14326 households profit from a photo voltaic irrigation infrastructure that facilitates native water provide, irrigation, and livestock watering. Additionally in Gambia, a photo voltaic irrigation system that mixes 20,000 liters of tanks on the floor and a water distribution system with 20-24 tanks of 4,000 liters in every backyard of Greens profit from quick access to water and scale back the burden of human work.
Robert Guéi, the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa, stated, power and meals techniques are carefully linked as a result of virtually 30% of the world’s power is utilized in agri-food techniques. Each sectors require change by technological improvements to satisfy the rising demand for meals in addition to power, in a good, inclusive, and environmentally pleasant method.
