Claudia Ringler POLICY SEMINAR Ideas for confronting climate change today OCT 14, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 10:45 AM EDT

1. Transforming food systems
through clean energy access
Ideas for confronting climate change today
Claudia Ringler
Deputy Division Director
Environment and Production Technology Division
International Food Policy Research Institute
IFPRI Virtual Policy Seminar | October 14, 2021

2. Why accelerating
clean rural energy access?
Source: NEXUS Gains Initiative (under review)
▪ Reduces GHG emissions (COP26)
▪ Supports intensification of
agriculture (f.ex. solar-supported
groundwater irrigation) & food
systems (agro-processing, cold
storage of perishables) (UNFSS)
▪ Preserves biodiversity, reduces
zoonotic disease risk (COP15)
▪ Reduces women’s and girls’ time
use to collect firewood (CFS draft
VGs)
▪ Multiple other benefits (f.ex. water
security); vaccine storage;
education; non-farm businesses

3. How to accelerate rural energy
access?
➢ Generate evidence on the multiple
benefits of clean rural energy access
for food systems and beyond
➢ Identify productive use locations that
are attractive for the private sector
➢ Overcome the siloed investments in
rural energy, agriculture and water
systems
➢ Strengthen women’s agency in clean
rural energy systems
➢ Develop capacity on identifying &
assessing cross-sectoral solutions
using energy as an entry point
Source: NEXUS Gains Initiative (under review)
Credit: Abbie Trayler-Smith / Panos Pictures