Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria
In developing countries, a substantial amount of perishable and often highly nutritious commodities, such as fruits and vegetables, are lost after harvest, mainly caused by the lack of key infrastructures, such as electricity and cold chain facilities. On the other hand, the world has recently seen...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Book Chapter |
| Language: | Inglés |
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Springer
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127232 |
| _version_ | 1855537572217880576 |
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| author | Yamauchi, Futoshi Takeshima, Hiroyuki |
| author_browse | Takeshima, Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Futoshi |
| author_facet | Yamauchi, Futoshi Takeshima, Hiroyuki |
| author_sort | Yamauchi, Futoshi |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | In developing countries, a substantial amount of perishable and often highly nutritious commodities, such as fruits and vegetables, are lost after harvest, mainly caused by the lack of key infrastructures, such as electricity and cold chain facilities. On the other hand, the world has recently seen the potential of solar power in decarbonizing economies and transforming rural livelihoods in developing countries. A new technology, such as solar power photovoltaics, is highly divisible and, therefore, can be easily introduced to overcome the lack of sustainable electricity supply. In 2020–2021, we implemented an intervention to rebuild rural livelihoods in conflict-affected northeast Nigeria by building solar-powered cold storage facilities that can reduce food loss and increase consumption of perishable, micronutrient-rich horticulture products; increase incomes of market agents and producers; and improve employment. The intervention brought a significant increase in the number of days that horticulture products remain fresh, market sales for cold storage users, and the amount of vegetables available to the local population. Cost-benefit analysis showed a significant net economic gain in the long-run. Our example shows that a technological innovation, which overcomes the lack of an essential investment for development, can trigger economic transformation. |
| format | Book Chapter |
| id | CGSpace127232 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Springer |
| publisherStr | Springer |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1272322025-02-24T06:47:51Z Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria Yamauchi, Futoshi Takeshima, Hiroyuki developing countries perishable products commodities fruits vegetables harvest infrastructure technology electricity cold chains solar energy economy rural livelihoods photovoltaic systems sustainability intervention conflict postharvest losses consumption micronutrients horticultural products income employment markets benefit-cost ratio economic development economic situation cost benefit analysis horticulture trace elements harvesting carbon conflicts consumers rural population In developing countries, a substantial amount of perishable and often highly nutritious commodities, such as fruits and vegetables, are lost after harvest, mainly caused by the lack of key infrastructures, such as electricity and cold chain facilities. On the other hand, the world has recently seen the potential of solar power in decarbonizing economies and transforming rural livelihoods in developing countries. A new technology, such as solar power photovoltaics, is highly divisible and, therefore, can be easily introduced to overcome the lack of sustainable electricity supply. In 2020–2021, we implemented an intervention to rebuild rural livelihoods in conflict-affected northeast Nigeria by building solar-powered cold storage facilities that can reduce food loss and increase consumption of perishable, micronutrient-rich horticulture products; increase incomes of market agents and producers; and improve employment. The intervention brought a significant increase in the number of days that horticulture products remain fresh, market sales for cold storage users, and the amount of vegetables available to the local population. Cost-benefit analysis showed a significant net economic gain in the long-run. Our example shows that a technological innovation, which overcomes the lack of an essential investment for development, can trigger economic transformation. 2023 2023-01-16T15:21:22Z 2023-01-16T15:21:22Z Book Chapter https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127232 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134668 Open Access Springer Yamauchi, Futoshi; and Takeshima, Hiroyuki. 2022. Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria. In Agricultural Development in Asia and Africa, eds. Jonna P. Estudillo, Yoko Kijima, Tetsushi Sonobe. Pp. 329-341. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5542-6_24 |
| spellingShingle | developing countries perishable products commodities fruits vegetables harvest infrastructure technology electricity cold chains solar energy economy rural livelihoods photovoltaic systems sustainability intervention conflict postharvest losses consumption micronutrients horticultural products income employment markets benefit-cost ratio economic development economic situation cost benefit analysis horticulture trace elements harvesting carbon conflicts consumers rural population Yamauchi, Futoshi Takeshima, Hiroyuki Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title | Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title_full | Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title_short | Solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods: Evidence from a solar-powered cold storage intervention in Nigeria |
| title_sort | solar power to transform food systems and rural livelihoods evidence from a solar powered cold storage intervention in nigeria |
| topic | developing countries perishable products commodities fruits vegetables harvest infrastructure technology electricity cold chains solar energy economy rural livelihoods photovoltaic systems sustainability intervention conflict postharvest losses consumption micronutrients horticultural products income employment markets benefit-cost ratio economic development economic situation cost benefit analysis horticulture trace elements harvesting carbon conflicts consumers rural population |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127232 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yamauchifutoshi solarpowertotransformfoodsystemsandrurallivelihoodsevidencefromasolarpoweredcoldstorageinterventioninnigeria AT takeshimahiroyuki solarpowertotransformfoodsystemsandrurallivelihoodsevidencefromasolarpoweredcoldstorageinterventioninnigeria |