Productive use of energy in Senegal

Productive use of energy is defined by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as the use of energy that “involves the application of energy derived mainly from renewable resources to create goods and/or services either directly or indirectly for the production of income or value”. In Senegal GVEP is working to improve the provision of energy that enhances people’s productivity and economic activities by supporting seven businesses from different sectors.

By providing energy to these seven PREMS (Programmes Energétiques Multi-Sectoriels), they will be able to increase their production and thus increase their profit, and even start new production lines.

But these businesses are not the only ones that will benefit. When stimulating the productive use of energy, the community around profits as well. One of the well-known benefits of productive use of energy for the surrounding community is the creation of employment and the increase of incomes. This allows people in the community to send their children to school and improve their diet. Apart from these educational and health benefits, it also reduces the rural-urban migration, playing an important role in the fight against poverty. One of the PREMS GVEP is working with in Senegal is a village tourist site. In this particular village, there are hardly any jobs for the local youth, motivating them to move to Dakar, where a life of poverty awaits them. By supplying energy to the village tourist site, it can better address the needs of tourists with lights and ventilators. By attracting more tourists with these new assets, the hotel will be able to train and employ more village youth.

In the North of Senegal GVEP is working with an agriculture business. They are in need of energy to irrigate the dry Sahel land they are using. At the moment they only have the capacity to irrigate 7 acres, but with an increase in energy, they will be able to water all their fields, more than 100 acres. Not only will this create jobs for many people in the nearby villages, but it will also bring water to villages that currently have to walk for miles for access to clean water. On top of that, the business will be able to produce more vegetables and will be able to sell them at a lower price than the imported goods people are currently buying.

When carefully implemented, and with the right business support, the productive use of energy can go a long way to change the lives of many people. Not just the ones actively involved in the business, but also their communities.