Racking up Renewables in Africa - Episode 35

With fossil fuels dwindling and access to energy already scarce in Africa, people are turning to renewable energy. In this month’s podcast, energy specialist, Dan Martin, explains how IFAD incorporates renewable energy into its projects, while a farmer tells us about the reality of renewable energies on the ground.

Continuing our thread on nutrition, Doctor Roba talks about food security and nutrition in East Africa. Learn how agribusiness hubs are equipping young people with the business and technical skills needed for the green agriculture sector. We also hear from a project on the frontline of the climate crisis in the Solomon Islands.

This is Farms. Food. Future. A podcast that’s good for you, good for the planet, and good for farmers.

 

 

Episode Contents

• Dan Martin explains renewable energy
• Sustainable solar energy in Senegal with Adiya Samba Ndiayre
• Joyce Aciro tells us about the benefits of her energy-saving cookstove
• Improving food security in East Africa with Doctor Guyo Roba
• Dan Miller explores a new way of funding regenerative agriculture
• Youth Agribusiness Hubs, Part 3: Sam Bbosa and Kees van der Ree
• Research and Impact Assessment Series, Part 5: Tisorn Songsermsawas
• Summing Up
• Similar Episodes to Enjoy

 

Dan Martin explains renewable energy

Dan Martin, Global Technical Specialist - Rural Infrastructure and Renewable Energy, IFAD

Dan Martin, an energy and climate-resilient infrastructure specialist, explains what renewable energy is and what IFAD is doing to promote it in Africa.

 

Sustainable solar energy in Senegal with Adiya Samba Ndiayre

Adiya Samba Ndiayre, farmer and coordinator of the Association for Territorial Development

Senegalese farmer, Adiya Samba Ndiayre, manages an energy house owned by the Association for Territorial Development—a coalition of 300 people working to make agricultural products and services greener. The energy house holds a solar panel and an inverter, providing energy for market gardens.

 

Joyce Aciro tells us about the benefits of her energy-saving cookstove

Joyce Aciro, Ugandan farmer

In Uganda, 90 per cent of households use firewood and charcoal for cooking. This leads to deforestation, soil erosion, loss of agricultural lands and indoor pollution.

Joyce Aciro, a small-scale farmer in Northern Uganda, tells us about the benefits of her energy-saving cookstove, provided by the IFAD-supported PRELNOR project.

 

Improving food security in East Africa with Doctor Guyo Roba

Doctor Guyo Roba, Head of Jameel Observatory

Around 81 million are facing food insecurity in East Africa—with severe water shortages and failed harvests putting more at risk.

Doctor Guyo Roba tells us about the Jameel Observatory, which is working to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition in the region through forecasting, long-term preparedness, and emergency response to climate-related food and health risks.

 

Dan Miller explains a new way of funding regenerative agriculture

Dan Miller, CEO and Founder of Steward

Regenerative agriculture is an alternative way of producing food that may have lower environmental and social impacts.

Steward provides regenerative farms and fisheries with funds and resources to expand their operations. Its founder and CEO, Dan Miller, tells us about its community-sourced lending model, which helps narrow the financial gap between large and small farms.

 

Youth Agribusiness Hubs, Part 3: Sam Bbosa and Kees van der Ree

Sam Bbosa (left), Technical Consultant for Green Jobs, IFAD, and Kees van der Ree (right), former Green Jobs Consultant, ILO

In the third part of this miniseries, Sam Bbosa and Kees van der Ree tell us about the business and technical skills needed for jobs in the sustainable agriculture sector, and how youth agribusiness hubs are helping young people learn these skills.

 

Research and Impact Assessment Series, Part 5: Tisorn Songsermsawas

Tisorn Songsermsawas, Technical Specialist Economist, IFAD

IFAD’s Research and Impact Assessment Division measures the impact of IFAD projects around the world through in-depth, on-the-ground research.

Tisorn Songsermsawas tell us how the second phase of IFAD’s Rural Development Programme supports remote farming communities in the Solomon Islands who are facing climate change and market access challenges.

Summing Up

Thanks to our producer Francesco Manetti and our contributors—Linda Odhiambo and Alisson Lecce. Your hosts are Brian Thomson and Bakary Coulibaly.

We want to hear from you! Get in touch with your comments and ideas at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to and rate the podcast.

We’ll be back next month to see how IFAD is fulfilling its mission by looking at the results from 24 recent IFAD projects.

Similar Episodes to Enjoy

Episode 27 discusses sustainable innovations in the agriculture sector.

Episode 25 explores the connections between small-scale farming and climate change.

Episode 20 focuses on nature-based agricultural solutions in the age of climate change.