Use of Clean Energy in On-Farm Livelihood Security

Abstract

Livelihood security in rural areas can be broadly divided into three categories based on land use as primary criterion. Livelihood such as agricultural production depends on land. All such predominantly land dependent activities are covered under on-farm livelihood options. These include cultivation of paddy, wheat, vegetables, etc. Those livelihood activities that do not require cultivation but are of manufacturing or service category are called non-farm activities. These include input and output services for agriculture, agro-processing, transport, education, health, warehousing, retailing, etc. There are some activities which do not require large amount of land ownership are covered under off-farm category. These include goatery, poultry, fishery, dairy, etc. They may require access to pasture for grazing, which can be part of community or forest land. On the basis of livelihood activities practiced by households in rural areas the clean energy requirement will vary. Current study emphasizes on successful development of solar operative irrigation appliances mounted over bi-cycle. On farm use of one such case study has been deliberated from rural areas of South Odisha where the diffusion of clean energy products has taken place.