Presenter : Mary Allan

1. Experience of the WEF
nexus at village level:
How can farmers cultivate co-benefits?

2. Plan of presentation
• Nexus approach
• Learning from the past – Nepal, Peru
• Planning for the nexus - Zimbabwe
• Planning for Total Energy Access –
Togo
• Conclusions

3. Nexus approach
one in which the ‘solution for any one
problem, like energy, must give equal
consideration to others in the nexus,
finding interconnected solutions that
maximise synergies and manage trade-
offs’ (Best, 2014).

4. Nexus approach: also important
at smaller, localized scales
• Most food in SSA is produced locally by
smallholder farmers, fishers or herders
• 55 per cent of all new electricity supply
needs to be from decentralized
systems to reach the goal of universal
energy access by 2030 (IEA, 2010).

5. Poor People’s Energy Outlook

6. Learning from the past
Nepal & Peru : micro-hydro

7. Learning from the past
• micro-hydro schemes in Nepal since
1975 and Peru since 1992
• studies to evaluate sustainability (2002,
2005, 2006)
• Findings reviewed to see what they can
tell us about WEF nexus

8. Electricity brought ++ impacts : but
• no direct impact on cultivation or livestock
• no consideration of how energy (or water)
could support these practices
• Not designed on the basis of eventual
productive uses for increasing incomes.
• No other types of energy such as biogas
production were considered
Learning from the past

9. Learning from the past
• Chalan: river level affected by upstream
farmers building irrigation canals,
disrupting electricity supply in the
summer months.
• Yumahual: some of the water source
needed to be diverted for drinking water
for the nearby town of Choropampa thus
reducing electricity generation capacity.

10. Learning from the past
Poorest households were less likely to be connected to
electricity, and if they were, were less likely to use it for
productive purposes. These were almost always in off-
farm enterprises and required additional investment
such as buying a fridge or other appliance.
Except: use of electricity or the water-power for milling
(Nepal). UNDP study (2011) found dramatically reduced
time spent on agro-processing (grinding grains, hulling
rice, pressing oils), saving 155 hours/year for women
and 85 for men using electrical mills.

11. Lessons learned
While many households benefited economically, the
benefits were greater in the larger and better
developed areas where there was more scope for
non-agricultural livelihoods and small businesses.
A more deliberate attempt to make the connection with
energy needs in smallholder agriculture would bring
further benefits.
Schemes are making a smaller contribution to broad-
based development than they might otherwise. This
ultimately affects their long-term sustainability.

12. Planning for the nexus
Zimbabwe : micro-hydro

13. Planning for the nexus
Practical Action has built 5 micro-hydro
schemes in the Eastern Highlands of
Zimbabwe over the last 14 years.
In the Himalaya micro-hydro scheme
(2013) a more deliberate attempt to
connect the energy scheme with
agricultural livelihoods was made.

14. Planning for the nexus
Himalaya wanted a system that would not only
supply community services and households
but would connect with the agricultural
livelihoods crucial to the survival of the
community. As a result:
- an irrigation component was included;
electricity pumps irrigation water
- a cold-storage facility is being set up to help
keep produce fresh before it is sold.

15. Planning for the nexus
Made possible by a sophisticated and
organized community structure
Trained community members are responsible
for all future maintenance of the plant and
delivery of energy
Two co-operatives developed: one to make and
sell fencing and electricity poles; the other to
manage the irrigation scheme.

16. Planning for the nexus
Made possible by a sophisticated and
organized community structure
Trained community members are responsible
for all future maintenance of the plant and
delivery of energy
Two co-operatives developed: one to make and
sell fencing and electricity poles; the other to
manage the irrigation scheme.

17. Planning for the nexus
Himalaya learnt lessons from others
• Chipendeke : benefitted farmers through
power supply (mills, workshops) but failed to
recognize that farmers needed the water
close to the plant to irrigate their land
• Community decided that the micro-hydro
should be switched off for short periods
during months when the river level is low

18. Lessons learned
A successful WEF nexus needs
• a good understanding of the competing
needs and trade-offs during implementation
• Strong community institutions, built up
through the approach taken to planning and
constructing the scheme, together with the
ownership and management structures put in
place, which means these trade-offs could
be effectively dealt with.

19. Planning for TEA - Togo

20. Planning for TEA - Togo
Cooking with
wood or straw
on a three-stone
fire or simple
mud “stove”
Lighting
using
battery-
powered
torches
Human or
animal power in
agriculture,
workshops and
other industries

21. Planning for TEA - Togo
Hydro
Mini-grids
Biomass
Gasification
Pumping
Biogas for
Cooking
Solutions relevant to the WEF nexus

22. Conclusions
• Focus on productive uses of decentralized energy
alongside household & community services use
• Make a deliberate attempt to connect energy and
water uses with mainstream agricultural livelihoods.
• Use bottom-up approaches which ensure local
institutions can handle trade-offs as they arise.
• Make the most efficient use of the resources
available to produce the best development outcomes
(social, economic, environmental)

23. At national and international levels
• Major donors must build the needs of rural
communities and small-holder farmers into their
programming. Cross sector working so requires high-
level commitment and encouragement.
• New ways of working between ministries of
agriculture, water, and energy, which may have
competing objectives e.g. local cross-departmental
pilots with partners experienced in community
engagement
• Championing by the SE4ALL High Impact
Opportunity for nexus issues + capacity building

24. Thank you
mary.allen@practicalaction.org.uk