STUDIES OF ENERGY NEEDS IN FOOD SYSTEM

THE STUDIES WILL ALSO DETERMINE WAYS OF INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF ENERGY IN RURAL AREAS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES. FOUR COUNTRY STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED, EACH BY A 5-MEMBER TEAM SUPPLEMENTED BY SHORT-TERM CONSULTANTS. THE STUDIES WILL EXAMINE IN-DEPTH THE CURRENT SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF ENERGY FOR EACH STEP OF THE FOOD CHAIN. BOTH SMALL AND LARGE FARMS WILL BE STUDIES AND THE GAMUT OF FARMING OPERATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED. IN ADDITION TO ENERGY DATA, INFORMATION OF CROP YIELDS AND PRODUCTION COSTS WILL ALSO BE GATHERED TO DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF THE VARIOUS TYPES OF MECHANIZATIONS AND PRACTICES EMPLOYED; E.G., IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT, CROP DRYERS, THRESHERS, FERTILIZERS, AND HERBICIDES. EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING STEPS IN THE FOOD SYSTEM INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION TO MARKET AND TO THE HOME, FOOD STORAGE AND PRESERVATION, PROCESSING AND PACKAGING, WATER SUPPLIES, AND COOKING. SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING ENERGY USAGE WILL BE IDENTIFIED. THE STUDIES WILL IDENTIFY POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND APPROPRIATE DEVICES AND CONVERSION TECHNIQUES TO UTILIZE THE ENERGY. SUCH SOURCES ENCOMPASS METHANE GENERATION FROM ANIMAL AND VEGETATIVE WASTES, WIND AND SOLAR POWER, SMALL-SCALE HYDROPOWER SYSTEMS,AND MORE SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS TIDAL, WAVE, AND GEOTHERMAL POWER. THE 4 COUNTRY STUDIES WILL BE SUMMARIZED INTO A FINAL STUDY. IN ADDITION TO THE COUNTRY STUDIES, 3 OR MORE FIELD STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC ENERGY INTERVENTIONS. THESE INCLUDE (1) A DESIGN FOR A SOLAR COOKER AND AN EXAMINATION OF ITS ACCEPTABILITY IN HAITI, (2) A DETERMINATION OF INSTITUTIONAL AND TECHNICAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE DIFFUSION OF METHANE GENERATORS IN NEPAL, AND (3) A STUDY OF HOW RURAL WOMEN IN UPPER VOLTA WOULD UTILIZE TIME MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE USE OF POWERED DEVICES AND ENERGY TO PERFORM BASIC HOUSEHOLD TASKS SUCH AS GRAIN GRINDING, DRAWING WATER, AND COOKING.