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Global energy and food systems face increasing demands amidst environmental and societal pressures. Agri-food systems alone consume 30% of global energy and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from fossil fuel reliance.
Opportunity: Transitioning to renewable energy sources in agri-food systems offers a pathway to enhance sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity. Renewable energy can power essential stages from primary production to post-harvest processing, reducing losses and improving climate resilience.
Recommendations:
- Data-Driven Decisions: Enhance data availability for informed renewable energy investments in food systems. Conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses integrating environmental, social, economic, and gender perspectives.
- Financial Access: Facilitate financing mechanisms tailored to both energy supply (enterprises) and demand (agri-food end-users). Mobilize climate finance and local capital to scale renewable energy adoption.
- Integrated Approaches: Promote integrated food-energy systems (e.g., agri-voltaic systems) and water-energy-food nexus strategies to optimize resource use and synergy.
- Policy Integration: Mainstream cross-sectoral perspectives in national and regional strategies. Foster coordinated efforts among governments, private sectors, civil society, and end-users to drive systemic transformation.
- Innovation and Implementation: Support innovation through dedicated funds and partnerships to develop and deploy energy-efficient technologies tailored to agri-food needs.