Press Release: Cross Country Partnership Aims to Transform Energy Innovation in Rural Businesses in Ethiopia
Cross Country Partnership Aims to Transform Energy Innovation in Rural Businesses
Precise Consult, an Ethiopian management consulting firm and SELCO Foundation, an Indian NGO are pleased to announce that they have entered into a strategic partnership. The partnership combines Precise’s experience with agricultural and allied innovation and incubation programs in Ethiopia with SELCO Foundations track record of implementation of sustainable energy delivery models for rural populations in India.
In the race to meet UNs 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, energy efficiency and sustainable energy play a critical role in agricultural and allied value chains. Therefore, forging knowledge driven partnerships that can considerably accelerate the pace of learnings is crucial. The Precise-SELCO partnership is one such example that brings together deep skills in grassroots level energy business and technology strategy to help increase incomes for small and marginal farmers and rural micro-businesses.
“SELCO initiated a Global Innovation Hub in 2020, where the goal was to partner with regional level expertise in sustainable development. Sustainable energy driven productive use applications need to be locally innovated, adopted and scaled – this requires the creation of an enabling ecosystem that allows for local clean energy enterprises and end users to access the right type of resources.” said Huda Jaffer, Director, SELCO Foundation. She further added that, “With cross learning hubs connecting India, East Africa and West Africa, programs can be designed in a manner that keeps the end users at the center of the climate and development agenda and blurs boundaries from a learnings perspective. The partnership with Precise allows us to demonstrate the strength of collaboration and its impact on the design and pace of implementation.”
“Partnering with the SELCO – Global SDG 7 Hubs to deliver transformation for local farmers and small businesses allows Precise to make sustainable energy driven assets and technologies more affordable. Business, program and portfolio strategies on which we’ll conceive, design, and build the next generation of transformative enterprise, products and platforms will now have energy efficiency and clean energy as a key catalyst,” said Henok Assefa, Precise CEO.
The Global SDG 7 Hubs (SELCO Foundation) and Precise will be collaborating over the next few years to design multiple programs around innovation and incubation in Ethiopia, each of which will aim to further the network of grassroots level energy champions in the country. There is immense potential for introduction of productive use of energy technology within the Agriculture and Livestock sectors right from the input stage to the retail stage of the supply chain.
SELCO Foundation and its partners in India have innovated on and implemented multiple solutions such as solar efficient feed and fodder stations with hydroponics, solar powered agri cold rooms, energy efficiency post-harvest mills, solar powered packages for micro-business such as digital centers, bakeries, fabrication units etc. Similarly, Precise has worked on incubating agri-business especially for furthering their mechanization and technology needs such as dairy processing technology, cold storages etc. Energy has been highlighted as one of the major challenges in owning and running viable rural businesses in Ethiopia. Decentralized and sustainable energy packages can make a huge difference today if combined with appropriate finance and delivery models.
The partnership has begun with focus on Dairy, Poultry, Grain and Maize Milling, Tailoring and Refrigeration units in Ethiopia. The program is supported by global partners like Good Energies Foundation and DOEN Foundation.
About Global SDG-7 Hubs
Global SDG 7 Hubs is a practitioner-driven, knowledge exchange and implementation platform to improve inclusive development outcomes in the Global South via Sustainable Energy (SDG7) as a critical catalyst, particularly for underserved populations. For more please visit our website.
About PRECISE Consult International
Precise Consult is a premier consulting firm with a mission to empower firms, farms, and industries to accelerate economic development in Ethiopia. With 14 years of private sector experience, Precise focuses on Agro-industrial Transformation, Off-grid energy innovation, and Policy Innovation to accelerate economic development. Precise has functional capabilities on Project management, Resource mobilization, Research and economic analysis, Corporate finance, and capacity building.
Source: EIN Presswire (link opens in a new window)
- Categories
- Energy
- Tags
- innovation, rural development, SDGs