Report highlights importance of rural electrification as Ethiopia experiences threats to its economy and food security

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) launched a new report that shows how electricity can unlock billions of dollars in new value across six agricultural processing or small business opportunities in some of Ethiopia’s most important crops, while saving money for farmers who switch to electricity from expensive alternatives such as diesel.
In collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); the Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy (MoWIE); and Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), RMI’s Capturing the Productive Use Dividend: Valuing the Synergies between Rural Electrification and Smallholder Agriculture in Ethiopia report outlines the synergies between rural electrification and agricultural productivity, processing and businesses, and the value that can flow from closely linking the two. By mapping key value chains and opportunities, this report demonstrates the economic case for a national program to promote the productive uses of electricity.