scholarly journals Mini-Grids for the Sustainable Electrification of Rural Areas in Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessing the Potential of KeyMaker Models

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6350
Author(s):  
Andrea Cabanero ◽  
Lars Nolting ◽  
Aaron Praktiknjo
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cocoa Bean ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Financial Viability ◽  
Grid Systems ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Sub Saharan

Solar hybrid mini-grid systems possess the potential to substantially support electrification in sub-Saharan Africa. While their technical reliability has been proven, their financial viability is achieved only by heavy subsidization as of now. Due to the growing importance of results-based financing, we ask whether newly developed business models leveraging on the value added of electricity supply in rural areas (such as the KeyMaker Model) bare the potential to substantially reduce amount of grants required to finance the initial capital investment and thus contribute to a sustainable form of development. The principle of the KeyMaker Model is based on utilizing the locally supplied mini-grid electricity to establish a local agro-processing project, the revenues of which are an additional income stream for the mini-grid operator, while the project creates an end-market for the local farmers to sell their produce. We have developed two scenarios (without and with KeyMaker Model) for four rural villages in Nigeria as a case study to scientifically assess the potential of KeyMaker Models. We simulated and optimized the mini-grid systems using the software tool HOMER. We then assessed their financial viability. Our analysis demonstrates grant finance requirements ranging from 82% to 99% of the total investment for the base-case mini-grid projects without consideration of the KeyMaker Model. We find that a well-selected KeyMaker Model such as cocoa bean processing reduced the grant requirement by 68 percentage points, while processes based on maize, palm oil and cassava processing achieved reductions of 36, 26 and 8 percentage points, respectively. Hence, we conclude that the value added by the introduction of new local business models bares the potential to reduce grant requirements for the socially and economically necessary electrification across the Global South.

scholarly journals Proposing a Paradigm Shift in Rural Electrification Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa through Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3096 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Kyriakarakos ◽  
Athanasios T. Balafoutis ◽  
Dionysis Bochtis
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rural Electrification ◽  
Agricultural Cooperatives ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cross Subsidization

Almost one billion people in the world still do not have access to electricity. Most of them live in rural areas of the developing world. Access to electricity in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa is only 28%, roughly 600 million people. The financing of rural electrification is challenging and, in order to accomplish higher private sector investments, new innovative business models have to be developed. In this paper, a new approach in the financing of microgrid electrification activities is proposed and investigated. In this approach, agriculture related businesses take the lead in the electrification activities of the surrounding communities. It is shown that the high cost of rural electrification can be met through the increased value of locally produced products, and cross-subsidization can take place in order to decrease the cost of household electrification. The approach is implemented in a case study in Rwanda, through which the possibility of local agricultural cooperatives leading electrification activities is demonstrated.

scholarly journals Multispecies Swarm Electrification for Rural Areas of the Developing World

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (19) ◽  
pp. 3992 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Kyriakarakos ◽  
George Papadakis
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Capital Expenditure ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Grid Systems ◽  
Difficult Decision ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Solar Home System ◽  
Significant Cost Reduction

Today, 992 million people still do not have access to electricity globally. Most live in rural areas of the developing world. In 2018, the electrification rate for sub-Saharan Africa was only 27%. Furthermore, off-grid systems are projected to provide 65% of the newly electrified population in sub-Saharan Africa. Current estimations show that the average connection cost per technology in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa is 2000–3000 USD for grid extension, 500–1200 USD for a microgrid solution, and 150–500 USD for a solar home system. The most recent studies for real-world microgrids installed in sub-Saharan Africa show that the average split of capital expenditure (CAPEX) spending on distribution versus generation in microgrids is at 50%/50%. This is the result of the significant cost reduction of photovoltaics, batteries, and power electronics, in comparison with the practically stable unchanged cost of poles and cables. Even if the business model is chosen by the investor—usually a pay-as-you-go implementation—there is still the difficult decision to make on whether to go for a microgrid or solar home systems. Taking inspiration from multispecies swarms, a Multispecies Swarm Electrification approach is developed that is able to meet the real-world needs of the developing world in terms of rural electrification.

scholarly journals Malarial Infection in HIV Infected Pregnant Women Attending a Rural Antenatal Clinic in Nigeria

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Houmsou ◽  
B. E. Wama ◽  
S. O. Elkanah ◽  
L. C. Garba ◽  
T. D. Hile ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Haemoglobin Level ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Antenatal Clinic ◽  
Severe Anaemia ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Malarial Infection ◽  
Sub Saharan

Malaria still remains a challenging infection affecting the lives of several HIV infected pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was undertaken to determine malarial infection in HIV infected pregnant women in relation to sociodemographic and obstetrical factors. The study also assessed relationship between malarial infection and haemoglobin level, CD4+ counts, and ART regimen, as well as predisposing risk factors that influenced occurrence of malarial infection in the women. Thick and thin blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa. Haemoglobin level was determined using a hematology analyzer, while the flow cytometry was used to measure CD4+ counts. Sociodemographic and obstetrical parameters were obtained through the administration of questionnaires. Of the 159 HIV infected pregnant women examined, 33.3% (59/159) had malarial infection. Malarial infection was significantly higher in pregnant women who were divorced, 40.24% (33/82) (χ2=5.72; P=0.05), were at their first trimester (4–12 weeks), 54.8% (17/31) (χ2=14.85; P=0.01), had CD4+ = [201–500 cells/μL], 42.42% (42/99) (χ2=10.13; P=0.00), and those that had severe anaemia (<8 dg/L), 100.00% (χ2= 45.75; P=0.00). However, risk factors that influenced the occurrence of malarial infection in the pregnant women were occupation (farming) (AOR=0.226; P=0.03), marital status (divorced) (AOR=2.80; P=0.02), gestation (first trimester) (AOR=0.33; P=0.00), haemoglobin level (Hb < 8 dg/L) (AOR=0.02; P=0.00), and CD4+ counts (low CD4+) (OR=0.40; P=0.05). The study reported endemicity of malaria in HIV infected pregnant women living in rural areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Malarial infection was higher in women that were divorced, and at their first trimester, had low CD4+ count, and had severe anaemia. Farming, divorce, gestation, severe anaemia, and low CD4+ counts were predisposing risk factors that influenced malaria occurrence in the HIV infected pregnant women. It is advocated that HIV infected pregnant women should be properly and thoroughly educated on malaria preventive measures in rural areas so as to avoid unpleasant effect of malaria during their pregnancies.

scholarly journals Mitigation of the Water Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Construction of Delocalized Water Collection and Retention Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1673
Author(s):  
Adolfo F. L. Baratta ◽  
Laura Calcagnini ◽  
Abdoulaye Deyoko ◽  
Fabrizio Finucci ◽  
Antonio Magarò ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Emilia Romagna Region ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Surrounding Areas

This paper presents the results of a three-year research project aimed at addressing the issue of water shortage and retention/collection in drought-affected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project consisted in the design, construction, and the upgrade of existing barrages near Kita, the regional capital of Kayes in Mali. The effort was led by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University in partnership with the Onlus Gente d’Africa (who handled the on-the-ground logistics), the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the École Supérieure d’Ingénierie, d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme of Bamako, Mali. The practical realization of the project was made possible by Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti Ltd., a water utility supplying drinking water in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) that provided the financing as well as the operational contribution of AES Architettura Emergenza Sviluppo, a nonprofit association operating in the depressed areas of the world. The completion of the research project resulted in the replenishment of reservoirs and renewed presence of water in the subsoil of the surrounding areas. Several economic activities such as fishing and rice cultivation have spawned from the availability of water. The monitoring of these results is still ongoing; however, it is already possible to assess some critical issues highlighted, especially with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic in the research areas.

scholarly journals Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens isolated from childhood diarrhoea in four provinces of Kenya

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (07) ◽  
pp. 572-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willie Kipkemboi Sang ◽  
Valerie Oundo ◽  
David Schnabel
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Vibrio Cholera ◽  
Antimicrobial Drug Resistance ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Shigella Isolate ◽  
Stool Samples ◽  
Sub Saharan

Introduction: Diarrhoea is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among children in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of the main causes of hospital admissions in rural areas of Kenya. In Kenya, antimicrobial resistance surveillance has been conducted only at the institutional levels, with limited sharing of information and analysis of data. As a result, the actual scale of regional or national antimicrobial drug resistance is not well defined. Methodology: Stool samples were collected between 1 October 2007 and 30 September 2008 from a total of 651 outpatients with diarrhoea who were under five years of age in four provinces of Kenya.  Conventional, biochemical methods, multiplex PCR and antimicrobial susceptibility were conducted to identify the bacterial causes and virulence factors in the isolates, respectively.  Results: Of the 651 patients screened, we identified the causes of 115 cases (17.7%) as follows: Pathogenic E. coli (11.2%) [enteroaggregative (8.9%), enterotoxigenic (1.2%), enteroinvasive (0.6%), shigatoxigenic (0.5%)], Salmonella (3.5%), Shigella (2%) and Vibrio cholera O1 (0.7%). The highest levels of resistance among the E. coli isolates were observed in ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole each at 95% followed by tetracycline at 81%. Shigella isolate levels of resistance ranged from 80% to 100% for ampicillin, tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. Conclusion: The highest prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was to ampicillin followed by trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline. Though still at low levels, the major concern from our findings is the emerging resistance of enteric pathogens that was observed to quinolones (ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin) and gentamycin.

Land and poverty: the role of soil fertility and vegetation quality in poverty reduction

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-333
Author(s):  
Martin Philipp Heger ◽  
Gregor Zens ◽  
Mook Bangalore
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Vegetation Growth ◽  
Variable Approach ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Negative Impacts

AbstractThe debate on the land–poverty nexus is inconclusive, with past research unable to identify the causal dynamics. We use a unique global panel dataset that links survey and census derived poverty data with measures of land ecosystems at the subnational level. Rainfall is used to overcome the endogeneity in the land–poverty relationship in an instrumental variable approach. This is the first global study using quasi-experimental methods to uncover the degree to which land improvements matter for poverty reduction. We draw three main conclusions. First, land improvements are important for poverty reduction in rural areas and particularly so for Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, land improvements are pro-poor: poorer areas see larger poverty alleviation effects due to improvements in land. Finally, irrigation plays a major role in breaking the link between bad weather and negative impacts on the poor through reduced vegetation growth and soil fertility.

scholarly journals Towards Inclusive, Quality ICT-Based Learning for Rural Transformation

2017 ◽  
pp. 107-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinayagum Chinapah ◽  
Jared O. Odero
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Formal Structure ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Rural Transformation ◽  
The North ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a tool that can enhance flexible learning pathways. ICT has the potential to increase equitable access to quality learning, which is essential for skills development. Skills are required in technology-related nonfarm activities so as to improve livelihoods and achieve sustainable rural transformation. However, slow pace of the developing countries to utilize the benefits of the ongoing technological revolution in the North has resulted in the ‘digital divide’. Besides, it is still problematic to implement ICT programmes for educational development. The current and future challenges of providing ICT-based learning desperately call for the reengineering of education to move out of the formal structure of teaching and learning, towards building a more practical and realistic approach. By means of a literature review, this paper examines and discusses why it is important to provide inclusive, quality ICT-based learning, particularly in the rural areas of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It recommends that diverse ICT-based solutions be adopted to promote skills development and training within non-formal and informal settings. More comparative studies are also required to understand the impact of ICT-based learning in rural areas. 

scholarly journals Transforming African Education Systems in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Using ICTs: Challenges and Opportunities

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alcardo Alex Barakabitze ◽  
Anangisye William-Andey Lazaro ◽  
Neterindwa Ainea ◽  
Michael Hamza Mkwizu ◽  
Hellen Maziku ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Living Labs ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Mathematics

This paper presents the role of ICTs in transforming Africa’s Education Systems (AES) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects/courses. The paper highlights on a positive shift across Africa in using ICT to improve the quality of teaching and learning through activities such as intensive ICT skills training to teachers, increase in ICT equipments and applications in schools, and emergence of living labs (LLs) and innovation spaces/centres (InnoSpace). We first provide some of the challenges of integrating ICTs in education followed by a description of key past and current ICT initiatives supporting the adoption of ICTs in schools using a number of case studies in sub-Saharan Africa. We further present various ICT-based models for education, as a transformational approach towards integrating ICTs in AES. Moreover, we provide various ICT platforms deployed for education service delivery in disadvantaged African society (e.g., rural areas) including LLs and InnoSpace across the continent. Finally, we highlight our main findings and observations in terms of opportunities and future ICT for education research directions in Africa. Our aim is to provide some guidelines and ensure that Africa uniformly meet the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 4, which is to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning, particularly using ICTs.

scholarly journals Fermented Edible Insects for Promoting Food Security in Africa

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuf Olamide Kewuyemi ◽  
Hema Kesa ◽  
Chiemela Enyinnaya Chinma ◽  
Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Fermented Foods ◽  
Edible Insects ◽  
Edible Insect ◽  
Product Acceptability ◽  
Therapeutic Properties ◽  
Sub Saharan

Efforts to attain sustainable nutritional diets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are still below par. The continent is envisaged to face more impending food crises. This review presents an overview of common edible insects in Africa, their nutritional composition, health benefits and utilization in connection with fermentation to enrich the inherent composition of insect-based products and offer foods related to existing and generally preferred culinary practice. Attempts to explore fermentation treatments involving insects showed fermentation affected secondary metabolites to induce antimicrobial, nutritional and therapeutic properties. Available value-added fermented edible insect products like paste, powder, sauces, and insect containing fermented foods have been developed with potential for more. Novel fermented edible insect-based products could effectively fit in the continent’s food mix and therefore mitigate ongoing food insecurity, as well as to balance nutrition with health risk concerns limiting edible insects’ product acceptability in SSA.

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