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== <span style="color:#00A3AD">Costs and Benefits of Clean-Energy-Technologies in the Milk Value Chain</span><br/> ==

Despite the importance of the milk sector for income generation among small-scale farmers in Tanzania, Kenya, and Tunisia, only a reduced amount has access to extension services, which could improve their productivity. Raw milk is usually transported to milk collection facilities, where it is often rejected due to low quality, as it is not cooled during transportation. The lack of a reliable electricity grid hinders most rural households from using adequate refrigeration systems. Cooling technologies can significantly improve milk quality and add value along the milk value chain. Since grid electricity does not reach many rural areas, off-grid renewable energy (RE) solutions to cool milk can be a viable option. Biogas domestic milk chillers and solar milk coolers are attractive from a financial point of view and have socio-economic and environmental net co-benefits. Policies, financing mechanisms and capacity building activities to facilitate the adoption of renewable energy cooling solutions for milk include: the development of a clear national strategy for the milk sector, strict milk quality standards and a price premium for quality refrigerated milk, the establishment of controls and fines against illegal milk commercialization, eradication of counterfeit RE products, financial incentives, extension services, technical assistance, information programmes and training. <span class="link3">[[:File:Costs_and_Benefits_of_Clean_Energy_Technologies_in_Kenyas_Milk_Value_Chain.pdf|Costs and Benefits of Clean-Energy-Technologies in Kenya’s Vegetable Value Chain Horticulture]] is the third leading agricultural subsector in Kenya (after dairy and tea), and it is a growing market. However, small-scale producers in the vegetable sector face many challenges such as erratic rainfall, high and volatile energy prices, low crop yields, post-harvest losses of perishable crops, seasonal variations in product prices, poor access to market information, weak transportation infrastructure, and lack of access to modern energy for productive uses. Overcoming them could help achieve a more constant level of production and income. Both solar cold storage and small solar-powered water pumping technologies, assessed here as case studies, showed positive financial and economic returns. Adoption of such clean energy technologies in the vegetable value chain can be facilitated by establishing guarantee schemes as well as specific micro-credit lines and support services for farmers and cooperatives; setting minimum performance standards for renewable energy (RE) equipment; educating and training practitioners on the benefits and effective use of solar technologies and raising awareness of technological and financing opportunities. [[:File:Costs_and_Benefits_of_Clean_Energy_Technologies_in_the_Milk,_Vegetable_and_Rice_Value_Chains.pdf|Read more…]]<br/>