USAID awards $13-million to empower clean tech in emerging markets

In an effort to encourage innovative and environmentally friendly solutions in emerging markets, USAID (United States Agency for International Development) today announced the 12 winning organizations that will collectively receive US$13-million in funding via the Powering Agriculture initiative.

This fund will support projects and entrepreneurs aimed at integrating clean energy technology into the agriculture sectors of developing countries. As reported by AllAfrica, out of a selected pool of 475 applications the winning organisations will design and deploy market-based, clean energy solutions for agricultural production in developing countries.

Powering Agriculture is a programme that aims to link renewable energy technologies with farmers and agribusinesses in low-income countries. These innovations will contribute to the building businesses and creating affordable, sustainable market-based solutions to real problems.

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah says, “Powering Agriculture: A Grand Challenge for Development demonstrates how we can harness ingenuity and entrepreneurship to generate and scale real solutions in our fight to end extreme poverty.” He further notes, “Joining a community of hundreds of innovators working across five different Grand Challenges, today’s winning ideas prove that we can change the landscape of what is possible in development.”

The selected organizations will be encouraged to execute their innovations throughout developing countries. These technologies will enable farmers and small-scale business owners to improve goods and overall execution while maintaining a low-carbon footprint. The winning organizations and the countries they will be operating include the following:

International Development Enterprises — Honduras, Nepal, and Zambia

The Earth Institute at Columbia University — Senegal

Camco Advisory Services — Benin and Tanzania

EarthSpark International — Haiti

ECO Consult — Jordan

Motivo Engineering — India

African Bamboo — Ethiopia

SunDanzer Refrigeration — Kenya

Promethean Power Systems — India

University of Georgia Research Foundation — Uganda

REbound Technology — Mozambique

Experience International — Indonesia