Clean Tech as the Next Big Thing in Rural India
Introduction:
- Sustainable energy-based livelihood strategies are being used by an increasing number of rural Indian women to start their own businesses. Locally, distributed renewable energy (DRE), such as solar refrigerators, machinery for reeling silk, biomass-based cold storage, and bulk milk chillers, is revolutionising how women make a living.
The part DRE plays in changing women’s lives:
- More than 80% of the 13,000 early adopters of clean technology work appliances are women, according to a recent survey by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW). DRE-powered technologies give women farmers and microentrepreneurs a competitive advantage by increasing earning alternatives through mechanisation. Also, they free women from a variety of demanding manual chores that are particular to their gender.
- By 2030, 150 million people are expected to be employed by India’s 30 million women-owned micro, little, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). With women at the centre of this transition, sustainable livelihood technologies have the ability to alter rural livelihoods. The market opportunity in India alone is $50 billion.
- But how can we make this impact reach millions of women instead of just a few thousand? The Powering Livelihoods initiative’s attempts to reach rural women are summarised in the following key actions.
Moving ahead:
- First, take advice from early female adopters. Due to their novelty and high initial costs, digital appliances are perceived as high-risk purchases, particularly by female consumers who, due to socioeconomic considerations, have a significantly lower risk appetite.
- Early adopters can help potential consumers learn about their experiences and serve as demo champions or sales representatives to promote these products based on their reputation and firsthand product expertise. Early adopters must be used by technology suppliers.
Importance of live events and funding:
- Plan hyperlocal actions and demonstrations next. Consumers want to touch and study high-tech, pricey products before putting their faith in its capabilities and benefits, especially in the case of women who have historically had less access to new information.
- These events also offer networking opportunities, product awareness, and contacts with individuals who can help women acquire, finance, and use these devices.
How to get financing:
- Make goods purchases easy to fund, and finally. A continuing barrier is the lack of funding sources for these clean technology products. The technology should be treated as collateral by financial institutions that support women who own small businesses and farms, while expediting the loan application process.
- The creators and advocates of technology should also promise ample after-sales support and buy-backs. To convince financiers of the economic sustainability of these technologies, advocates must disclose data and offer guarantees against partial default.
market relationships:
- Fourth, support bidirectional market connections. Offering technology alone is insufficient in some circumstances. Many rural goods have a bigger market potential. It is essential to identify and connect urban consumption hotspots with manufacturers in order to boost earnings.
- Women frequently struggle with established market relations because of their limited mobility and lack of networks outside of their local communities. In this context, developing business models that enable women to sell to an intermediary or collectingivizing them can ensure a consistent income stream.
Foster cooperation:
- Fifth, encourage policy convergence. As no private sector organisation has the kind of reach and size that government organisations do, it is crucial to take advantage of their reach in order to grow exponentially. Many Ministries are working to support women’s livelihoods, including the State Rural Livelihood Missions, Horticulture and Agricultural Departments, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Companies, and Ministry of Textiles. They should employ renewable energy options in order to further their own programmes and aims.
Conclusion:
- To grow the influence of sustainable energy solutions on women’s livelihoods, a village of legislators, investors, financiers, technology promoters, and other ecosystem facilitators is necessary, much like it takes a village to raise a child. We won’t be able to fully realise the potential of rural women and clean technology until then, and only then.