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The Public Option: How Smart Tariff Subsidies Can Boost Minigrids and Solve Africa’s Rural Energy Access Dilemma
The World Bank estimates that minigrids can provide electricity for up to 500 million people by 2030, and that the cost of minigrid electricity per kilowatt hour will decrease by two thirds in the same period. But as Daniel Kitwa at the Africa Minigrid Developers Association points out, these goals can only be realized through effective public policy, scale and innovation. He explains why a smartly designed subsidy program to reduce the cost of minigrid power for rural customers is the critical missing piece in these efforts.
- Categories
- Energy
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A Digital Tool To Help African Farmers in the Battle Against Locusts Unveiled
A free tool that will help farmers and pastoralists across Africa to predict and control locust behaviour has been launched. Kuzi—the Swahili name for the wattled starling, a bird renowned for eating locusts—is an Artificial Intelligence-powered tool that generates a real-time heatmap of locusts across Africa, shows all potential migration routes, and gives a real-time locust breeding index.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Analysis: Grid or Solar: Looking for the Best Energy Solution for the Rural Poor
Grid electricity is often said to be critical for long-term human development because it provides sufficient power for appliances and small industries. But are the substantially higher investment costs justified by the economic impact?
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Milling on Mini-Grids: How Africa’s Largest Crop Could Go Diesel-Free
Milling is a key use of energy for people living off-grid in rural Africa, allowing them to turn grains like maize – the region's most commonly produced cereal – into flour to make staple foods. Using solar mini-grid electricity to power these mills would save money, reduce air pollution and boost electricity sales for mini-grid companies. But as analysts at CrossBoundary point out, diesel mills still dominate the market. They explore the challenge of competing with diesel, and how innovations in solar mills are changing the landscape.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
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Rwandan Female Entrepreneur on Course to Raise $490,000 in Funding
With 70,000 serviced daily via its safe water mini-grids, WARwanda is setting high ambitions to service over 30 million people in the next 10 years and create over 13,000 jobs, greatly multiplying its current reach.
- Categories
- Environment, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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European Union Boosts Resilience in Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal States
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a €6.1 million contribution from the European Union to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in Northern and Western Bahr El Ghazal states.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Bigger Sometimes Is Better When It Comes To Farm Size
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 90 percent of the world's 570 million farms are small and most are found in the rural areas of the developing world, but they produce food for a substantial proportion of the world's population. Many small farmers take on other economic activities to add to their small incomes.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Maintaining a Critical Link To Last-Mile Customers: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Financial Service Agents During COVID-19
Agents are a critical last-mile link to financial services for lower-income households and micro- and small enterprises. But as the COVID-19 crisis has spread globally, it has had a profound effect on how agents operate, introducing new restrictions – and new responsibilities. Nisha Singh and James Robinson at Itad explore the findings from a recent report that highlights key strategies for building and managing high-performing agent networks despite the challenges of the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
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