Technologies and Sustainable Energy for Food Utilization – Aspects to be taken into account
ECHO partners are strongly encouraged to identify and address food utilization needs and to use of the most appropriate, available and accessible technologies taking into account:
A technology may considerably reduce the time spent and the security risks of women searching for fuel (i.e. energy saving stove). It may reduce the need to walk too many times for long distances to get water or to purchase fresh, but perishable food (i.e. better food storage facility). However, some technologies may be appropriate in a context, but not in another one. Beneficiaries should be consulted to select the best solutions.
For instance, in some cases the use of modern and unexpansive energy saving stoves can contribute to reduce health risks associated to indoor smoke pollution and consequent morbidity and mortality for women and children. Similarly safer cooking and storage facilities are associated with reduced domestic accidents like child burns.
A technology could also be selected to contribute to reduce the impact on environment degradation caused by a humanitarian crisis. For instance, energy efficient stoves consuming less wood or not at all like solar system, can have considerable impact in reducing tree cutting.
Technologies and Sustainable Energy for Food Utilization – Tools
Three important tools are now available to choose the appropriate technology:
These tools were developed by the project SET4Food supported through the Enhanced Response Capacity (ERC) funds of ECHO (see next slide).
Technologies and Sustainable Energy for Food Utilization – Project
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NGOs staff working in emergencies often make decisions under pressure, without background and adequate competences on energy issues. Consequently, the selected strategies do not always comply with the requirement of sustainability and do not exploit the most effective energy technologies available at international and/or local level.
SET4FOOD project is implemented by Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) in partnership with Politecnico di Milano, Fondazione Politecnico, Safe Access to Fuel and Energy Humanitarian Working Group (SAFE), WFP, FAO and UNHCR, promoting sustainable energy technologies for food utilization.
This project supported through the Enhanced Response Capacity (ERC) funds of ECHO focuses on the nexus linking food utilization to energy availability, efficiency and sustainability in humanitarian food crisis.
- an innovative and interactive web based Decision Support System (DSS) suggesting the most appropriate technologies to be implemented according to the specific context;
- ad hoc guidelines guiding on the most recent technologies like improved cooking stoves, solar panels, integrated renewable energy systems (IRES), hybrid solar photovoltaic/wind systems
- in-presence trainings and e-learning on “efficient and sustainable energy technologies for food utilization”
