Renewable Energy for Rural Development in the Mekong Region

Abstract

Majority of the poor people in the Mekong region lives in rural areas where agriculture is the main provider of income and employment. Intensifying agricultural productivity and promoting non-farm livelihood activities through small and medium-scale enterprises or SMEs is key to achieving rural development and poverty alleviation. However, rural development should integrate energy development as one of its vital components.

Energy is needed in agriculture for land preparation, cultivation, irrigation, harvesting, operation of livestock and aquatic farms, and post-harvest processing. Post-harvest processing includes milling operations, various heating applications and other processes that transform agricultural products into commodities. Energy is also needed for storage and refrigeration of agricultural products, and transport of agricultural inputs and outputs. There is also ‘indirect’ energy needs in the form of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides. Energy is also needed for heating, mechanical energy and electrical energy applications by rural-based SMEs. Rural development also means improving rural living standards. This means not only having better lighting facilities, but also having adequate social and commercial services (e.g., health, education, information, communication, entertainment, public transportation, retailing and others).