Harvesting the sun twice: Enhancing livelihoods in East African agricultural communities through innovations in solar energy

在东非，获得能源是一个普遍存在的问题，那里73%的人口仍然没有可靠的电力供应。确保安全、负担得起的能源基础设施对于促进该地区农村社区的包容性发展至关重要，而太阳能是实现这一目标的可持续途径。然而，在农作物产量受到气候变化和人口增长威胁之际，地面安装的太阳能电池板阵列也使土地不再用于粮食生产，不安全的所有权和土地“掠夺”正在给土地资源带来压力。实际上，与传统太阳能电池阵列相关的经济增长可能会被作物生产收入减少和粮食不安全加剧所抵消。解决能源、气候和土地安全冲突的可再生能源技术迫在眉睫。所谓的农业发电（AV）系统允许在同一土地上提供太阳能电力，作物生产和雨水收集。与地面安装不同，阵列有几米高，可以在地下种植作物。在光照强度高、温度高、降雨量少的地区，如东非的许多地方，在这些高架太阳能电池板下种植的作物的生产力可以显著提高，因为电池板的阴影创造了更有利的生长环境，减少了热应力和水分损失。这种对植物更有利的环境意味着作物的范围可以扩大到更高价值的作物，这可以提高贫困农村社区农民的收入。作物也可以在以前不适宜的地方种植，进一步增加粮食供应和收入来源。我们与非洲太阳能开发商和肯尼亚一家农业综合企业，以及非政府组织、区域政治组织和当地社区合作，在肯尼亚和乌干达确定了正在安装太阳能电池阵列的案例研究地点，并可以进行我们的跨学科研究。该项目旨在通过以下方式为东非社区的AV系统应用和改造提供一个真实的测试案例：a)确定肯尼亚、乌干达和坦桑尼亚最适合实现AV系统效益的地区（例如气候、现有土地利用、缺乏能源获取），并使其被社区采用。b)在肯尼亚和乌干达社区对AV系统进行实地测试，以提供有关由此产生的生计改善（增加作物产量和农民收入，获得可持续能源）以及农村社区对AV系统的看法和态度的数据。c)使用收集到的数据为地区和国家政府和非政府组织开发决策支持工具，以有效地提供符合社区需求的AV系统。该项目的研究结果将揭示该技术的潜力，即通过生产高价值作物来改善生计，获得能源和增加收入，以及当地社区对采用自动驾驶系统的障碍。报告还将显示哪些经济、社会、文化和政治因素有助于或阻碍了该地区无人驾驶汽车系统的扩展。我们将评估如何最好地与用户共同设计自动驾驶汽车技术，并寻求国家和地区政策制定者的意见，以便为东非乃至其他地区可能推出的自动驾驶汽车系统提供信息。

Access to energy is a widespread problem across East Africa, where 73% of the population still do not have reliable electricity. Proving secure and affordable energy infrastructure is crucial to promoting inclusive development of rural communities in this region, and solar power is a sustainable way of achieving this. However, ground mounted arrays of solar panels also remove land from food production at a time when crop yields are threatened by a changing climate and increasing populations, insecure ownership and land "grabbing" are putting pressure on land resources. In practice, economic growth linked to conventional solar arrays may be outweighed by reduced income from crop production and greater food insecurity. Renewable energy technologies which resolve energy, climate and land security conflicts are urgently needed.So called agrivoltiac (AV) systems permit the delivery of solar electricity, crop production, and rainwater harvesting on the same land area. Instead of being ground mounted, arrays are several meters high, enabling crops to be grown underneath. In locations with high light intensity, high temperature, and low rainfall, such as many places in East Africa, the productivity of crops grown beneath these elevated solar arrays can be significantly improved because shade from the panels creates a more favourable growing environment with reduced heat stress and water loss. This more favourable environment for plants means the range of crops can be extended to higher-value ones, which can improve farmer incomes in disadvantaged rural communities. Crops may also be grown in locations previously unsuitable, further increasing food supplies and revenue sources.Working with African solar developers and a Kenyan agribusiness company, as well as non-governmental organisations, regional political organisations and local communities, we have identified case study sites in Kenya and Uganda where solar arrays are being installed and our interdisciplinary research can be conducted. The project aims to provide a real test case for the application and adaptation of AV systems to the needs of communities in Eastern Africa by:a) Identifying areas in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania that are most physically suitable (e.g. climate, existing land use, lack of energy access) for realising the benefits of AV systems and their uptake by communities.b) Field testing of AV systems in communities in Kenya & Uganda to provide data on resulting livelihood enhancement (increasing crop yield and farmer income, access to sustainable energy) as well as perceptions and attitudes of rural communities to AV systems.c) Using the data collected to develop a decision support tool for regional and national governments and NGOs to deliver AV systems effectively and in line with community needs.The findings from this project will reveal the potential this technology to lead to livelihood improved access to energy and increased incomes through production of higher-value crops, as well as the barriers within local communities to the uptake of AV systems. It will also show which economic, social, cultural and political factors help or hinder the expansion of AV systems in this region. We will assess how AV technology can best be co-designed with the users and seek input from national and regional policymakers to inform the potential rollout of AV systems across East Africa and potentially beyond.