Access to and use of modern energy is increasingly recognised as a critical input to the success and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Without addressing energy access needs, it is becoming increasingly clear that household (and consequently village level) poverty will take longer to eradicate as availability of energy dictates the extent to which communities are able to transform goods and services to provide livelihoods and create wealth.
Development objectives
The objective of this pilot project is to increase access to modern energy services through promoting energy delivery to the under-served rural poor and to contribute towards ‘creating the policy and institutional conditions needed to increase access to energy services for the rural poor for the attainment of the MDGs’.
Key activities & expected results
The project supports the increased access to energy agenda and will install two Multi-functional Platforms (MFPs) in the rural communities of Masindi on a pilot basis as a means of increasing opportunities for people - especially the most vulnerable - to access and utilise quality energy services. Lack of access to energy services by these communities has hindered their capacity to engage in productive activities which would increase local incomes and thereby serve as a key to poverty reduction. The productive uses could include community members’ extraction of oil from the abundant sunflower in the district.
Implementation phase
The project conducted a baseline survey to benchmark and enable design of the appropriate MFPs in Masindi District.
UNDP has funded the installation of 2 MFPs one at Kijunjubwa and the other in Nyantonzi. Both MFPs are now operational. The MFP at Kijumbwa is operational and is managed by a private entrepreneur. By end of December a milk chiller, bore hole water pump and maize mill shall be installed to run on the MFP. Currently, a larger capacity (5000 litre) milk chiller than that currently available is being installed; the bore hole is being sunk while the maize mill is already operational. When fully installed the milk chiller will boost the production and marketing of milk from Kijumjubwa to Masindi and other areas, while the motorized water bore hore shall provide cleaner water at a cheaper cost (than the current 500/= per 20 litres of water). The MFP at Nyantonzi MFP was also installed and is operating a rice huller and a maize mill and is boosting agricultural production in the area. In future, UNDP plans to fund the setting up of a mini grid to supply power to the near by town.
