Are you passionate about spreading awareness on sustainability and climate change? Selco foundation is on the lookout for a communications expert from the development sector to produce a series of podcasts.
Overview-
About SELCO Foundation
SELCO Foundation has been established with a mission of achieving rural development and conservation of the environment by promoting the use of decentralized renewable energy. The Foundation works on field-based R&D work and has developed various models, and processes, in sectors of basic energy access, health, education, livelihoods, financial inclusion, and built environment which can be replicated and scaled up to bring in social inclusivity and equity in the nation.
AboutAgriculture and Agro Processing:
Background: Agriculture is one of the key economic sectors for the poor across the world, particularly in developing countries. Current challenges in agriculture are exacerbated by climate change, resulting in catastrophic economic and social losses to farmers. Innovations in the agricultural sector do not consider the needs of small and marginal farmers who have limited access to capital, need to diversify to be viable, and cannot take on increased energy burdens. With most farmers lacking access to machinery, increased access to inefficient machinery would result in increased GHG emissions.
Context: Agro-processing is a set of techno-economic activities carried out for the conservation and transformation of local produce into value-added agricultural products and to make it usable as food, fiber, feed, fuel, etc. The scope of the agro- processing encompasses all operations from the stage of the harvest till the material reaches the end users in the desired form, packaging, quantity, quality and price. Cereals, grains, pulses, millets, spices, horticulture products, and almost every other type of agricultural product undergo post-harvest processing - which would need the energy to convert from one form of the product to a usable form. The processing activities can happen at the farmer, farmer group, individual entrepreneur or SHG levels. Decentralizing the processing activities help local farmers and entrepreneurs realize the income generated by the value-addition activities.
Challenges in Agro Processing: Optimized Agri-processing solutions are clearly absent from the market which meets the needs of small and marginal farmers. The current market surveys reveal that most of the technologies consume power in the range of 3 - 20 HP (or above)- To be economically viable the machines have to cater to a sizable community of farmers. It is also seen that high market incidental costs are being incurred by farmers who are forced to take their produce to nearby mills for processing. High-energy costs incurred by modern/ traditional mills such as electrical charges are passed on to the users of the services. Marginal and small farmers cannot invest in costly agro-processing machinery - thus, resulting in the emergence of middlemen, and the transfer of the actual value from the farmers.
Solution: Decentralized Solar Powered agro-processing solutions that are designed keeping the needs and requirements of communities in a localized geography which not only provide processing services for the local communities but also create economic opportunities via promoting local entrepreneurship at the farmer, farmer group, SHG, and individual entrepreneurship levels.
Introduction
The year 2023 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of the Millet, following a proposal by India, which wants to position itself as a global hub for millets. IYoM’23 is themed around harnessing the untapped potential of millets for food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. This is a key precursor as an adaptation measure for climate change centered around smallholder and marginal farmers.
IYoM has set the stage for critical discussions around existing and new livelihood opportunities within the millet value chain that can be catalyzed by Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) driven solutions and enable sustainable development.
Background: Millet, as hardy crops can withstand extreme heat conditions, use 70% less water than rice; grow in half the time of wheat; and need 40% less energy in processing. By virtue, they contribute to the means of livelihood, food and nutritional security of the underserved in various parts of the world. Millets have varied processing needs, determined by their type. With most innovations catering to the dominant grains, there is scarcity in the number of millet processing units within India, which leaves most millets out from the food chain. It has been recognised that the lack of modern processing facilities is one of the major obstacles in promoting millets across the country. The concentration of processing units at peri- urban/ urban centers, makes value addition and further consumption a challenge.
Existing and new livelihood opportunities within the millet value chain can be catalyzed by Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) driven solutions to enable sustainable development.
Developing a series of podcasts for SDG7 led Climate Action towards International Year of Millets’ 23 along key thematic areas of SELCO Foundation’s ecosystem.
Duration: 15th May - 30th September 2023
Interested consultants/organizations, with relevant experience (please include references of previous similar work as proof of experience), team member details working on the project are requested to reach out with a detailed proposal giving a brief on the methodology and the process they will uptake for this project, including budgets (with break-ups and explanation), timelines and milestones and send the same to procurement@selcofoundation.org with subject line as "The Millet Podcast Series" on or before 10th May ’23. Along with the proposal, please also submit a detailed portfolio of your work.