REAFA

Energy plays a fundamental role in food systems. It is consumed not only in primary production, but also in secondary activities, such as drying, cooling, storage, transport and distribution. It is needed at all steps along the agri-food chain, both directly (for production, processing and transport)

Renewable energy can play a crucial role in meeting the energy needs of agri-food systems in Uganda. The interconnected nature of energy and food systems makes a joint approach necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The transition towards a renewables-based energy system will be incomplete without considering energy use in the agri-food sector and the provision of sustainable bioenergy. Each step of the agri-food system requires diverse energy services that vary significantly depending on value chains’ structure, nature, and depth. The decentralized nature of renewable energy solutions makes them apt for meeting the energy needs in an environmentally-sustainable, affordable and secure manner. The socio-economic dividends can be significant particularly for the hundreds of millions of people deriving subsistence and livelihoods from agriculture and facing increased uncertainty from climate impacts.

Despite the stark differences in energy use between regions and the level of development of agri-food systems, renewable energy applications find relevance in most contexts requiring tailored policy, technology, financing and delivery model solutions. Through cross-sector partnerships, action and investments can be mobilized at scale to effectively address the renewable energy opportunity inthe agri-food sector, while maintaining a key focus on sustainability aspects. Governments and local stakeholder engagement will be crucial to bridge the gaps in understanding the needs, creating market linkages and delivering capacity and financing within a broader food systems transformation strategy that includes renewables as a key pillar.

In 2020, Voice of Mitooma launched its agency-Renewable Energy for Agri-Food Systems Agency (REAFA) with the overall aim of transforming energy and food systems in Uganda to cope with growing demand; to become more inclusive, secure, and sustainable; and to come into alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The agency was established because the transformation pathways of the two systems are deeply entwined: Agri-food systems consume about 30% of the world’s energy, and a third of agri-food systems' emissions of greenhouse gases stem from energy use. The energy transition will directly affect the food system, and vice versa.

REAFA is working to ensure that actors in food chain (farmers, processors, retailers, distributers and consumers have access to renewable energy by facilitating mechanisms for access and generation. REAFA believes that transitioning from fossil fuels, which currently account for the lion’s share of emissions, to renewable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis. As agri-food value chains modernize, alternatives to fossil fuel energy sources are needed to ensure that food systems are built on secure, environmentally sustainable and resilient foundations. Through REAFA, Renewable energy is playing a critical role in meeting needs for electricity, heating, cooling and transport needs of food systems in Uganda. In so doing, it is advancing efforts to end hunger, reduce drudgery, lower greenhouse gas emissions, increase the adaptive capacity of farmers and agri-food enterprises, raise incomes and lessen the environmental impact of the food sector. At the same time, it is contributing to gender equality and youth employment since women and youth are majorly involved.

REAFA brings together a number of actors from Government, Private Sector and civil society organizations to transform the food and energy sectors. The transition towards a renewables-based energy system will be incomplete without considering energy use in the agri-food sector and the provision of sustainable bioenergy. Each step of the agri-food system requires diverse energy services that vary significantly depending on value chains’ structure, nature, and depth. The decentralized nature of renewable energy solutions makes them apt for meeting the energy needs in an environmentally-sustainable, affordable and secure manner. The socio-economic dividends can be significant particularly for the hundreds of millions of people deriving subsistence and livelihoods from agriculture and facing increased uncertainty from climate impacts.

Voice of Mitooma through REAFA remain committed to work with partners to advance renewables adoption in agri-food chains. The Collaborations can catalyze investments and mainstream the nexus thinking across partner activities. Voice of Mitooma through its agency is leading an Energy-Agri-food Systems transformation agenda to bridge data and information gaps for specific value-chains, forge partnerships to facilitate investments in pilot projects, and strengthen the ecosystem (e.g. policy and regulations, enterprise facilitation) for scale-up. REAFA will continue to work to raise productivity, strengthen supply chains, reduce food and income losses, and improve food security.