ABSTRACT
Addressing the energy deficit challenge in Africa is fundamental to unlocking the continent’s agricultural productivity and reducing food insecurity. In doing so, Africa has an opportunity to at least partially leapfrog a grid-centralized, fossil-fuel dependent path through the uptake and spread of renewable energy that is scale-appropriate and technologically feasible. This chapter examines two renewable energy types – photovoltaic solar and biogas – relevant to smallholder agriculture in the region. It describes recent innovations in these technologies related to food production, storage and processing and opportunities and obstacles to scaling up.
