Solar power is being implemented in rural Odisha to address energy poverty, benefiting farmers in Bairagiput village and women running food-processing enterprises in Kalahandi. Interventions include solar-powered motors for irrigation, which have led to increased crop yields and income for farmers like Gopinath Sisha and Madan Burud.
In agriculture processing, women’s self-help groups are using solar dryers to add value to produce like ginger, significantly increasing prices for smaller ginger. In Kalahandi, solar power and battery storage are used for food processing, reducing electricity and transportation costs for groups supplying supplementary nutrition.
These decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions help communities work around gaps in conventional power supply, supporting rural livelihoods and microenterprises.
Source: Down To Earth