Energising Agriculture in Myanmar

Energy access challenges are not confined to rural off-grid regions, they extend down agricultural value chains to on-grid urban markets where larger processors prepare output that is ready for wholesale or export markets. As one of the first of its kind to explore the agriculture/energy nexus beyond village scale productive uses, this study:

• Describes tools that can be used to evaluate agricultural processes along the entire value chain continuum from small off-grid processors in the village to large on-grid urban factories;

• Combines existing best practice, geospatial data, on-ground surveys and market information to evaluate the energy needs, value addition and practical characteristics of processing steps along three economically significant value chains in Myanmar - rice, cotton and BPO (beans, pulses and oilseeds);

• Outlines opportunities to strategically invest in improving energy access along value chains to increase the value captured by rural farmers, boost processor productivity and strengthen this nationally vital sector.