This chapter of Agenda 21 contains a comprehensive catalogue of promotion measures for sustainable agriculture and rural development. The household energy projects in the partner countries focus on the following activities in particular:
* Harvesting, storage and processing of foodstuffs is to be improved at local, regional and national level.* Agricultural production is to be intensified with simultaneous minimization of ecological and economic risks.
In developing countries, shortages of fuelwood are compensated with less valuable fuels such as leaves, straw and dung. These materials give off more smoke and do not burn as well as wood. Moreover, if they are used as fuels, they are not available as fertilizer for agriculture. Reducing the consumption of fuelwood and increasing the quantity of firewood through afforestation measures eliminates the need to employ agricultural residues as cooking fuel and can be used again as fertilizer in the fields. This leads to qualitatively and quantitatively improved agricultural production and higher yields.
As for those cases in which intensification is not feasible, Agenda 21 proposes the development of activities related to agriculture, such as the processing of produce, fishing and hatcheries as well as other activities, such as rural artisans, trade and tourism.
Household energy programmes make various technologies available which are used for further processing of agricultural products. Drying, smoking, desiccation, baking and brewing are processing techniques for which improved ovens and stoves are needed. In addition, household energy projects help to secure the livelihood of the process-related trades and professions by providing extension services in these areas.
The processing of agricultural products normally entails high inputs of energy. A great deal of wood is consumed, for example, in order to smoke fish or brew beer, which is produced nearly everywhere. Fruit-drying can be improved with simple technologies. In Kenya, for example, solar driers are constructed and used to dry mangos and other fruit or vegetables.
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FAO Energy Programmes - Main Activities Agenda 21, Chapter 14K requests more intensive energy inputs for increased labour productivity and for income generation. For this purpose, the FAO Energy Programme has initiated a process to encourage an environmentally sound energy transition in rural communities. It is essential to improve and expand the supply of energy in order to promote sustainable agricultural and rural development. To achieve this, a better understanding is needed of resource endowment, the requirements of specific end-users, and the technologies available. In the area of energy assessment and planning, FAO's activities focus on developing an integrated approach to incorporate energy into rural and agricultural planning, and on assistance to countries in establishing a framework for activities in this field. On technological issues, FAO promotes the use of both mature and promising energy technologies. These two elements, assessment and planning, and technological development and application, are complementary in that the first provides a framework for identifying priorities and strategies to enable the second to be set in its proper perspective within the national context. FAO has developed an integrated approach to the assessment, planning and implementation of rural energy activities. The adaptation of this approach is carried out through inter-ministerial consultations such as those organized in Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. National frameworks were discussed and actions launched to accelerate energy for sustainable rural development. A Latin American Working Group on Energy Planning for Sustainable Rural Development has been established in cooperation with experts from 19 countries. A methodological approach in this field for the Latin American and Caribbean Region was also formulated, a Regional Meeting was held in 1992 to discuss a Regional Plan of Action in cooperation with ECLAC, OLADE and IDB, and a package of more than 60 projects is presently being finalized and will be presented to potential donors. A National Consultation was organized in June 1994 in Uruguay where an inter-institutional framework for action was adopted. A similar exercise has been initiated in collaboration with the African Energy Programme of the African Development Bank with ESCWA and ECA for the Near East Region. - FAO |
