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Learning Document
Learning Document
Learning document
Challenge
Agriculture is the main economic activity of small
farmers who make their living from family farming in
Bolivia. Although this agriculture involves more than
2 million people of peasant and indigenous origin, it is
characterised by the predominant use of family labour
with little technological influence and limited access
to resources (land, water and capital), which limits the
competitiveness and profitability of their productive
activity.
Increasing agricultural productivity is a key factor for
food security, income generation, development of
rural areas and thus poverty reduction. Higher
productivity requires improvements that can be
enhanced through the use of energy and modern
technologies at each stage of the production chain.
Target
Facilitate access to modern energy technologies for productive uses and the articulation with market
systems for micro and small enterprises and rural productive organisations.
1 The improvement of economic benefits - income and/or employment - directly for the
entrepreneurs (individual or associated).
2
Big changes start small 1
Improving the economic and financial sustainability of rural electrification projects.
Improving the Human Development Index.
3 ingenious idea
Our
Practical Action has been working in Bolivia since
2010 promoting the productive use of energy under
a market approach in different value chains such as
vegetables (irrigation), cocoa, coffee, dairy,
camelids, bananas and tourism. Since 2020, in the
framework of a joint work with the EnDev Bolivia
programme and GIZ funds, we are consolidating
our implementation model seeking to scale it up in
new value chains and territories, through access to
modern energy technologies; support and
specialised advice on the use, maintenance and
governance of technologies; and capacity building
in business management for market access.
We work in 7 value chains (quinoa, coffee, cocoa, native honey, camelids, bakery and dairy
products).
The incorporation of technology achieved*:
- Optimise and reduce working times by 72%.
- Reduce production costs by 66%.
- Production capacity increased by 432%.
Although this data is general, there are variations in percentages for each enterprise.
There was a high level of participation and interest among women compared to men during the
training sessions, both face-to-face and online. Out of 866 people, 465 were women and 401
were men.
847 women accessed the technology to optimise their production processes, representing 42%
of the total number of users.
"This is the drum that goes on the inside, and this is the aspirator, which sucks up all the coffee
cuticles. Although its capacity is 10 kilos, we only put in 9 kilos because we know that coffee grows in
volume when it is roasted", explains Carola Quispe, a CELCCAR technician.
For his part, Sinforoso Condorcett, until last February president of CELCCAR, highlighted the inter-
institutional articulation process for the acquisition of the toaster. It is important to mention that
CELCCAR assumed 40% of the total cost of the equipment.
The technology reduces the process time by 75%, going from roasting 10 kg to 40 kg per hour, allowing
CELCCAR to offer greater volumes in less time, thus improving the supply of products and services to
the local market of Caranavi and the national market, having buyers of roasted and ground coffee in
the main cities of the country. The economic incentive provided by the project helps organisations such
as CELCCAR to optimise their production processes, in this specific case coffee roasting. We are
promoting the implementation of technology that works with modern energy sources to improve their
productivity and the quality of the final product.
945 new families linked to agricultural organisations have access to modern energy
technologies, prioritising the participation of women, through a specific incentive for them,
with a higher economic amount, in coordination with EnDev Bolivia's Women's Energy
Fund (FEM).
Increase in the value of marketed products (compared to the situation without the project)
due to access to modern energy technologies.
Shirley Pazos
Head of fundraising
[email protected]
Carlos Reza
Energy theme leader
[email protected]