Region
Africa
628 entries tagged Africa.
Articles — 612
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How does gender affect the adoption of agricultural innovations? The case of improved maize technology in Ghana
Men and women in Ghana adopt improved maize varieties and chemical fertilizer at different rates. The difference stems from unequal access to complementary inputs like land, labor, and extension services, not from inherent gender preferences. Policymakers can increase equitable technology adoption by improving women's access to these inputs rather than overhauling agricultural research systems.
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The same course, different access: the digital divide between urban and rural distance education students in South Africa
Rural and urban students in South Africa experience vastly different access to distance education because of unequal ICT infrastructure. While open distance learning institutions can expand higher education access to marginalized communities, poor internet connectivity in rural and peri-urban areas severely limits students' ability to engage with online coursework. The digital divide directly determines educational outcomes regardless of institutional intent.
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Green Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications of Imposed Innovation for the Wellbeing of Rural Smallholders
Rwanda's Green Revolution policies increased agricultural yields and reduced conventional poverty measures, but harmed most rural smallholders. The policies forced farmers to abandon subsistence polyculture for specialized market crops using modern seeds and inputs. Only wealthier farmers could comply; poorer households experienced disrupted livelihoods, increased landlessness, lost knowledge systems, and reduced autonomy. The authors recommend pro-poor tenure reforms and cooperative arrangements alongside agricultural improvements, and call for rigorous impact assessments that examine effects on different social groups.
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The role of education in facilitating risk-taking and innovation in agriculture
Education reduces risk-aversion among farmers in rural Ethiopia, making them more likely to adopt agricultural innovations. The study shows schooling encourages technology adoption both directly and indirectly by shifting attitudes toward risk. Educated farmers who adopt innovations early may create positive spillovers when less-educated farmers copy their practices, generating benefits beyond individual adopters.
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INNOVATION PLATFORMS: EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR INSTITUTIONAL EMBEDDING IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT
Innovation Platforms bring farmers, researchers, and stakeholders together to drive systemic agricultural innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. The paper finds that successful platforms require fundamental institutional changes within agricultural research organizations—including new mandates, incentives, procedures, and funding structures. Without these changes, platforms risk becoming superficial rebranding of traditional technology-focused approaches rather than enabling genuine paradigm shifts toward system-oriented development.
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Non-farm entrepreneurship in rural sub-Saharan Africa: New empirical evidence
Rural households in six sub-Saharan African countries operate non-farm enterprises driven by both necessity and opportunity, concentrating in low-barrier activities like trade rather than transport or professional services. Rural, female-headed, and remote enterprises show significantly lower labor productivity than urban and male-owned counterparts. Most rural enterprises fail due to insufficient profitability, lack of financing, or unexpected shocks.
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RAAIS: Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (Part I). A diagnostic tool for integrated analysis of complex problems and innovation capacity
RAAIS is a diagnostic tool that analyzes complex agricultural problems by examining institutional, technological, and socio-cultural dimensions across multiple levels. It assesses innovation capacity within agricultural systems and identifies constraints affecting farmers, government, and researchers. The tool combines qualitative and quantitative methods to find entry points for innovation. Testing in Tanzania and Benin on parasitic weed problems in rice production demonstrated its effectiveness.
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Beyond knowledge brokering: an exploratory study on innovation intermediaries in an evolving smallholder agricultural system in Kenya
In Kenya's agricultural sector, 22 intermediary organizations support smallholder innovation through roles beyond knowledge distribution. These organizations foster interaction among diverse actors and drive technological, organizational, and institutional change. The study identifies four intermediation arrangements: technology broker, systemic broker, enterprise development support, and input access support. Innovation brokering requires policy support but should avoid one-size-fits-all approaches.
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SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION IN UGANDA TO RESPOND TO CLIMATE RISK: LINKING CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY WITH FARMER PERCEPTIONS
Farmers in southwest Uganda perceived significant climate change over 20 years, reporting increased temperatures and greater rainfall variability, particularly in the March-May season. Climate data confirmed rising temperatures but showed less dramatic rainfall changes than farmers reported. The study reveals gaps between farmer perceptions and meteorological measurements stem from different definitions of risk—farmers focus on rainfall distribution for crop production while scientists measure long-term statistical means. Understanding these differences improves communication about climate risk to support agricultural innovation.
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Social network analysis of multi-stakeholder platforms in agricultural research for development: Opportunities and constraints for innovation and scaling
Multi-stakeholder platforms in Burundi, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo show structural weaknesses that limit their innovation and scaling capacity. Social network analysis reveals that NGOs dominate while the private sector is underrepresented, connections between local and higher government levels are weak, and influential actors often remain disconnected. Organizations central to knowledge exchange attract collaboration, but innovation scaling occurs mainly within single organization types rather than across different sectors.
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Sustainable intensification of agricultural systems in the Central African Highlands: The need for institutional innovation
This study examines agricultural innovation in the Central African Highlands using an agricultural innovation systems approach. The research finds that constraints to sustainable intensification are primarily economic and institutional—caused by weak policies, poor market access, limited financial resources, and ineffective stakeholder collaboration. The authors conclude that 69% of constraints require institutional innovation, particularly improved credit access, services, and markets. They argue that current research and development investments focus too narrowly on farm-level productivity, neglecting the institutional and natural resource management innovations needed at national and regional levels.
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Tapping the full potential of the digital revolution for agricultural extension: an emerging innovation agenda
Agricultural extension in the Global South can leverage digital technologies far more effectively by adopting user-centred design and problem-oriented approaches. The paper reviews why many agro-advisory initiatives failed—typically because they pushed specific technologies rather than addressing actual user communication needs. It identifies eight emerging ICT applications for agricultural extension and emphasizes that successful digital innovation requires supportive institutions alongside technological development.
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The new harvest: agricultural innovation in Africa
This review examines agricultural innovation across Africa, analyzing how farmers develop and adopt new farming practices and technologies. The paper discusses the conditions enabling innovation in African agriculture, including access to resources, knowledge systems, and institutional support. It argues that understanding local innovation processes is essential for improving agricultural productivity and food security in rural African communities.
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Advancing Rural Entrepreneurship in Rwanda Through Informal Training – Insights From Paulo Freire’s <i>Pedagogy of the Oppressed</i>
Informal entrepreneurship training through village savings and loan associations in rural Rwanda empowers participants to make better decisions and improve their livelihoods. Using Paulo Freire's pedagogy framework, the study shows how CARE International's train-the-trainer approach and peer dialogue at weekly meetings create both economic and socio-cultural value. This qualitative research reveals how VSLAs emancipate rural entrepreneurs beyond just financial outcomes.
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Rural Poverty Alleviation Strategies and Social Capital Link: The Mediation Role of Women Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation
Women entrepreneurs in rural Ghana's agribusiness sector leverage social capital from formal and informal networks to reduce poverty. The study of 333 women entrepreneurs found that women's entrepreneurial growth directly alleviates rural poverty, while social innovation and relational social capital strengthen this effect. Policymakers should expand women's entrepreneurial opportunities in agribusiness to combat rural poverty in developing countries.
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Innovation intermediation in a digital age: Comparing public and private new-ICT platforms for agricultural extension in Ghana
Two new-ICT platforms for agricultural extension in Ghana—one public, one private—were compared to assess their innovation-intermediation roles. While both platforms aimed to support demand articulation and matching, their effectiveness was limited by social, organizational, and institutional factors rather than technical capacity. Informal farmer-led initiatives using WhatsApp and Telegram proved more successful at transforming interaction patterns and achieving collective goals than formally designed platforms.
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Culture as a barrier to rural women's entrepreneurship: Experience from Zimbabwe
Cultural barriers significantly prevent rural women in Zimbabwe from achieving economic self-confidence and autonomy through entrepreneurship. The paper identifies key issues that development programmes must address to promote women's equality via business activities and recommends future priorities for gender-focused training initiatives.
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Theory and application of Agricultural Innovation Platforms for improved irrigation scheme management in Southern Africa
Agricultural Innovation Platforms enable small-scale irrigation scheme actors in Southern Africa to collaborate, experiment, and learn together. By fostering interaction between previously disconnected subsystems and stakeholders, these platforms build adaptive capacity, increase market-oriented production, and help farmers escape poverty more effectively than traditional infrastructure-focused interventions.
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Externality Effects of Education: Dynamics of the Adoption and Diffusion of an Innovation in Rural Ethiopia
Education drives agricultural innovation adoption in rural Ethiopia through two mechanisms. Household education determines timing of fertilizer adoption, while community-level education encourages uneducated farmers to adopt sooner by providing visible examples. Educated farmers act as early innovators and effective adopters, creating positive externalities that accelerate technology diffusion across communities regardless of individual farmer education levels.
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Local institutions and indigenous knowledge in adoption and scaling of climate-smart agricultural innovations among sub-Saharan smallholder farmers
Local institutions and indigenous knowledge systems significantly improve how smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa adopt and scale climate-smart agricultural innovations. Development programs succeed when they build on existing indigenous practices rather than replace them, enhance information sharing, mobilize local resources, strengthen stakeholder networks, and develop farmer capacity. Participatory approaches that treat rural communities as active partners in designing adaptation programs produce better scaling outcomes.
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A Rural‐Urban Digital Divide?
This study examines the digital divide in Tanzania by surveying Internet café users across rural, semi-urban, and central regions. The researchers find that access differences stem primarily from the availability of physical venues with technology rather than user capability or behavior. Internet users and usage patterns are largely uniform across regions, with only minor variations.
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How does energy matter? Rural electrification, entrepreneurship, and community development in Kenya
Rural electrification in Kenya increases household income and entrepreneurial activity. Communities with electricity access formed more new micro-enterprises than control sites. Access to power enhances individuals' future expectations and business opportunities. Women-led households benefit more from electrification than men-led ones, though income gaps persist. The findings support resource-based entrepreneurship theory and suggest electrification should be central to development policy in areas with limited electricity access.
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Climate‐Smart Innovations and Rural Poverty in Ethiopia: Exploring Impacts and Pathways
Conservation agriculture practices reduce rural poverty in Ethiopia, particularly in rainfall-stressed areas. Minimum tillage and cereal-legume intercropping effectively lower poverty incidence and depth by mitigating climate risks. However, crop residue retention alone provides limited economic benefit. The study cautions against overstating conservation agriculture's universal benefits and recommends tailored, portfolio-based approaches rather than rigid prescriptions.
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Multiple adoption of climate-smart agriculture innovation for agricultural sustainability: Empirical evidence from the Upper Blue Nile Highlands of Ethiopia
Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia's Upper Blue Nile Highlands adopt multiple climate-smart agriculture innovations when they have larger farms, access to credit, frequent extension contact, market access, secure land tenure, climate awareness, and formal education. Farm size, financial services, extension visits, information access, and perceived benefits of reducing climate risks drive adoption of practices like crop rotation, agroforestry, and soil conservation. Policymakers should scale portfolios of location-specific innovations through strengthened extension systems.
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Entrepreneurship in rural hospitality and tourism. A systematic literature review of past achievements and future promises
This systematic review of 101 articles from 2000–2020 examines entrepreneurship in rural hospitality and tourism. The authors identify six key research themes: barriers and enablers, entrepreneur roles, women entrepreneurs, firm performance drivers, innovation, and value creation. They find that entrepreneurship journals have given limited attention to rural hospitality, most studies are qualitative, and research concentrates heavily in Europe. The review proposes an ecosystem framework and outlines six future research directions.
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Making Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) Work for Development in Tropical Countries
Agricultural innovation systems in tropical low-income countries struggle because capacity development initiatives don't align with national efforts. A study of Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central America found that external programs focus on training individuals, while countries actually need institutional strengthening. The research recommends improving south-south collaboration and building institutional capacity to make national agricultural innovation systems more responsive to smallholder farmers' needs.
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Can Social Innovation Make a Change in European and Mediterranean Marginalized Areas? Social Innovation Impact Assessment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, and Rural Development
Social innovation initiatives in European and Mediterranean marginalized rural areas produce measurable impacts across economic, social, environmental, and governance dimensions. The study evaluated nine social innovation projects in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and rural development. Results show these initiatives generate cross-sectoral and multi-level benefits that improve societal well-being and reduce marginalization within their territories.
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Platform, Participation, and Power: How Dominant and Minority Stakeholders Shape Agricultural Innovation
In Kenya's Yatta Sub-county, smallholder farmers participating in agricultural innovation initiatives face significant power imbalances with dominant stakeholders. Policy actors prioritize commercialization and modernization, but existing social hierarchies limit farmers' access to platform resources and control over decisions. These disparities risk marginalizing vulnerable groups further and reinforcing existing power structures, undermining inclusive and sustainable farmer-driven innovation.
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Challenges hindering women entrepreneurship sustainability in rural livelihoods: Case of Manicaland province
Women entrepreneurs in rural Zimbabwe face significant barriers to business sustainability, including lack of collateral for loans, poor access to market information, and insufficient government support. The study of 30 women in vegetable vending, clothing markets, and cross-border trading identifies patriarchal social structures and role conflicts between family and business as major obstacles. Recommendations include entrepreneurship training, government schemes, and community networks to support women's economic activities.
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Measuring Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: Innovations and evidence
This paper reviews how women's empowerment in agriculture is measured and what interventions actually work. The authors use the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index to analyze 11 agricultural development projects and livestock interventions. They find evidence linking women's empowerment to improved agricultural productivity, incomes, and food security. The paper offers recommendations for better measurement approaches and policy design.
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Agricultural innovation systems and farm technology adoption: findings from a study of the Ghanaian plantain sector
This study examines technology adoption in Ghana's plantain sector using social network analysis and innovation systems theory. The researchers found weak innovation systems where farmers occupy central network positions but lack influence. Social network capital significantly drives adoption of improved farm technologies. The study recommends strengthening connections between focal farmers, research institutions, and extension agents through targeted policies to enhance technology dissemination.
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Scaling Up Agricultural Innovation for Inclusive Livelihood and Productivity Outcomes in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Case of Nigeria
Agricultural innovation programs in Nigeria significantly improved rural smallholder farmers' incomes, productivity, and income diversification through better market linkages and capacity building. When programs ended, farmers lost these gains and income diversity declined. The study recommends integrating agricultural innovation system concepts into all public extension and research programs to sustain rural livelihoods.
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Participatory design of digital innovation in agricultural research-for-development: insights from practice
Participatory design methodologies improve ICT adoption in agriculture, but implementing them in smallholder farming contexts creates real challenges. The authors document tensions between design ideals and project realities in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, including mismatched stakeholder expectations, top-down hierarchies, neglected digital ecosystems, and poor software reuse. They offer practical guidance for agricultural researchers to conduct more effective participatory design processes that produce meaningful digital innovations.
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Looking at Agricultural Innovation Platforms through an Innovation Champion Lens
Innovation platforms bring agricultural stakeholders together to drive change, but the role of 'innovation champion' within these platforms remains poorly understood. This study analyzes three West African innovation platforms and identifies different types of champions using management science frameworks. The authors find that existing champion categories don't fully capture agricultural innovation dynamics, suggesting new categories may be needed and that champion interactions deserve further investigation.
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INNOVATION PLATFORMS IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT
Innovation platforms bring together agricultural stakeholders to learn, negotiate, and solve development challenges collaboratively. However, this study warns they are not universally applicable. The authors provide a decision-support tool for agencies to critically assess when innovation platforms are genuinely needed versus when simpler, cheaper alternatives exist. The tool helps determine what resources and conditions are necessary for platforms to succeed in achieving agricultural development outcomes.
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DO MATURE INNOVATION PLATFORMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT? A META-ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDIES
Innovation Platforms in agricultural research for development generate local enthusiasm and bring stakeholders together, but rarely achieve impact at scale. The study analyzed eight mature platforms across three continents and found that while they can produce locally adapted, economically feasible innovations, scaling remains limited. Platforms work best when demand-driven, participatory, and embedded in broader extension networks. The authors call for rigorous measurement of platform performance to understand what process designs actually work.
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Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel
Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR)—where farmers actively control tree growth on their farms—significantly improves rural livelihoods across the Sahel by increasing cash income, cereal production, and caloric intake. Local institutions shape FMNR adoption unevenly: strong, independent formal and informal institutions encourage collaboration and resource management, while institutions perceived as government extensions discourage participation. FMNR works as both a productive practice and safety net across all dryland regions studied.
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Place-based landscape services and potential of participatory spatial planning in multifunctional rural landscapes in Southern highlands, Tanzania
Rural communities in Tanzania's southern highlands benefit most from landscape services related to social gathering sites and cultivation. Participatory mapping methods effectively engaged 313 local residents in identifying and spatializing these services, revealing that cultural services cluster in small areas while provisioning services reflect biophysical patterns. Workshops demonstrated that maps and satellite imagery empower communities to express spatial opinions and participate in landscape planning, offering practical value for data-scarce regions.
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Strengthening Agricultural Education and Training in sub-Saharan Africa from an Innovation Systems Perspective: A Case Study of Mozambique
Agricultural education and training in Mozambique must strengthen farmers' capacity to innovate by improving how organizations transmit and adapt knowledge. The paper argues that AET systems need cultural reform, better incentives, and stronger networks linking educators with other stakeholders. Key reforms include aligning AET mandates with national development goals and building connections between training institutions and the broader agricultural innovation ecosystem.
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Teachers' ICT Adoption in South African Rural Schools: A Study of Technology Readiness and Implications for the South Africa Connect Broadband Policy
Rural teachers in South African schools show strong optimism about using ICTs for teaching, indicating readiness to adopt technology despite financial and skills barriers. However, most schools ban student personal devices, creating a conflict with South Africa's Connect broadband policy goals of universal internet access and digital skills development by 2030. The study reveals a disconnect between school policies and national broadband objectives.
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Agricultural innovation platform as a tool for development oriented research: Lessons and challenges in the formation and operationalization
Agricultural Innovation Platforms (AIPs) bring together multiple stakeholders to address agricultural development challenges through integrated research. This study documents the formation and operation of AIPs across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, identifying six key stages from problem identification through implementation. Success depends on recognizing indigenous knowledge, involving local leadership, ensuring strong facilitation, and building stakeholder capacity. Market-led approaches accelerated results, while major obstacles included limited stakeholder skills and dependency mentality.
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The role of soil water monitoring tools and agricultural innovation platforms in improving food security and income of farmers in smallholder irrigation schemes in Tanzania
Soil water monitoring tools and agricultural innovation platforms significantly improve food security and household income for smallholder farmers in Tanzania's irrigation schemes. The study combined quantitative data from farmer field books and household surveys with qualitative focus group data across two schemes. Both interventions together, and the innovation platform alone, demonstrably enhanced farmers' food security and income outcomes.
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Compositional dynamics of multilevel innovation platforms in agricultural research for development
Innovation platforms in agricultural research for development require multilevel stakeholder engagement across community and national levels to fulfill key innovation system functions. The study of platforms in Central Africa reveals that different functions demand strategic involvement of specific stakeholders at particular levels, rather than equal participation across all groups. Research and dissemination activities dominated the functional sequence in these platforms, distinguishing them from business-oriented innovation platforms.
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A paradigm shift in African agricultural research for development: the role of innovation platforms
Agricultural research organizations in Africa shifted from focusing solely on technology efficiency to using multi-stakeholder innovation platforms that address institutional barriers. Case studies of maize and cassava value chains in West and Central Africa show that yields and incomes increased significantly when platforms combined three capacity-building interventions: learning workshops for policymakers, skills training for facilitators, and coaching support. Success required facilitators to master observation, testing, and refinement of platform processes using practical, visualizable tools.
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Rurality and resilience in education: place-based partnerships and agency to moderate time and space constraints
Rural schools take longer to implement and sustain resilience-building strategies compared to urban schools, facing constraints from time, space, and place. Teachers in rural areas build resilience through relationships and prioritized needs, but must reconfigure place and agency to overcome geographic and resource barriers. When teachers adapt to local conditions and leverage available relationships, they successfully negotiate ongoing challenges and improve student resilience outcomes.
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'Going rural': driving change through a rural medical education innovation
A South African medical school established a rural clinical school in 2011 to train doctors for rural practice. Eight students completed a year-long clerkship in district and regional hospitals rather than tertiary facilities. Students reported stronger clinical confidence, better decision-making skills, and enhanced learning approaches. Community immersion and sustained relationships with supervisors and patients drove these gains. The model demonstrates how rural-based medical education can transform student attitudes and practice, supporting broader curricular reform.
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Modeling the Effects of Agricultural Innovation and Biocapacity on Carbon Dioxide Emissions in an Agrarian-Based Economy: Evidence From the Dynamic ARDL Simulations
This study examines how agricultural innovation, energy use, income, and biocapacity affect carbon dioxide emissions in Nigeria from 1981 to 2014. Agricultural innovation and energy use increase emissions, while higher income and biocapacity reduce them long-term. The research confirms the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis and shows agricultural innovation accounts for nearly half of CO2 emission changes. The authors recommend prioritizing energy efficiency, clean energy adoption, and ecosystem management to address climate change.
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Women Farmers and Agricultural Innovation: Marital Status and Normative Expectations in Rural Ethiopia
Marital status significantly shapes women farmers' capacity to innovate in rural Ethiopia. Single women own more land and control production decisions, yet face legal and customary barriers to resource access. Married women innovate successfully only within collaborative spousal relationships. Gender-based violence undermines women's achievements across both groups. Customary norms consistently constrain women's effective land use and agricultural innovation regardless of household headship.
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Gendered Intra‐Household Decision‐Making Dynamics in Agricultural Innovation Processes: Assets, Norms and Bargaining Power
This study examines how household members make decisions about adopting agricultural innovations among smallholder farmers in Uganda. Men dominate decision-making about which innovations to adopt and how to use outputs, particularly for income-generating crops. These patterns reflect and reinforce existing gender inequalities in asset ownership and are shaped by social norms and control over production resources.
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Scaling practices within agricultural innovation platforms: Between pushing and pulling
Innovation platforms in Rwanda combine two scaling approaches: push strategies that solve immediate problems and pull strategies that build networks across multiple levels. The study finds that platforms most effectively increase farmer revenues when their activities align with government policies and existing conditions. Successful scaling requires protected spaces, flexibility to handle complexity, and strategic balance between both approaches to transform agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Does the design and implementation of proven innovations for delivering basic primary health care services in rural communities fit the urban setting: the case of Ghana’s Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS)
Ghana's Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) system, proven effective in rural areas, was adapted for urban poor settlements. The pilot found that rural best practices could not be directly transplanted to cities due to different organizational structures and disease patterns. Urban modifications included adjusted visit schedules and expanded worker training. The authors conclude that primary health models designed for rural contexts require substantial redesign to work in urban settings.
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Eco-efficiency and agricultural innovation systems in developing countries: Evidence from macro-level analysis
This study examines how agricultural innovation systems contribute to eco-efficiency across 79 developing countries. The researchers found that public research spending significantly boosts eco-efficiency in emerging economies, while foreign aid for extension services matters most in less developed countries. Foreign aid for research showed no significant effect. The findings demonstrate that effective agricultural innovation requires context-specific policy interventions tailored to each country's development level, rather than uniform global approaches.
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Unpacking the Personal Initiative–Performance Relationship: A Multi‐Group Analysis of Innovation by Ugandan Rural and Urban Entrepreneurs
Personal initiative drives innovation differently in rural versus urban Uganda. The study identifies two mechanisms: business planning works better in dynamic environments, while social network development matters more in individualistic settings. In static, collectivistic rural contexts, personal initiative has less impact on innovation. The findings come from surveying 573 Ugandan entrepreneurs across rural and urban areas.
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Innovation system approach to agricultural development: Policy implications for agricultural extension delivery in Nigeria
Nigeria's agricultural sector requires a shift from traditional research-extension models to an innovation systems approach. The paper argues that sustainable agricultural development demands holistic consideration of policy frameworks, human capital, infrastructure, and knowledge flows—not just R&D investment. Government should enact favorable policies, strengthen farmer and private sector innovation, and ensure extension workers integrate institutional context into technology packages delivered to farmers.
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Entrepreneurial Intention among Rural Youth in Moroccan Agricultural Cooperatives: The Future of Rural Entrepreneurship
Rural youth in Moroccan agricultural cooperatives face significant barriers to entrepreneurship. Using planned behavior theory, researchers surveyed 130 young cooperative members and found that financing constraints and agribusiness risks discourage entrepreneurial intentions, particularly among women. Socio-demographic factors, personal perceptions, prior experience, and cooperative activities all influence whether youth pursue self-employment or remain cooperative members.
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In Search of Rural Entrepreneurship: Non‐farm Household Enterprises (NFEs) as Instruments of Rural Transformation in Ethiopia
Non-farm household enterprises in rural Ethiopia significantly improve livelihoods and are driven by education, cooperative membership, socioeconomic factors, transport access, communication, credit availability, and extension services. The study of 415 households shows that policies strengthening infrastructure, credit systems, extension services, and rural cooperatives can accelerate enterprise development and rural transformation across sub-Saharan Africa.
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Agricultural Innovation Platforms in West Africa
Innovation platforms in West Africa can create institutional change benefiting smallholders when researchers initiate them with clear principles and deep value chain analysis. Effective platforms combine technical and entrepreneurial support for smallholders with strategic mobilization of high-level actors for regulatory and market backing. Success depends on the platform's maturity and the operating environment; contentious settings limit mobilization efforts.
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Innovation for inclusive rural transformation: the role of the state
Governments in developing countries must actively support rural innovation to achieve inclusive development. Analysis of programs across Algeria, Vietnam, South Africa, Peru, India, and Argentina shows state involvement succeeds most when coupled with local community participation. The state's critical roles include promoting agricultural innovation, building rural capacity, and delivering pro-poor social innovations. Success requires governments to support local capability building and bridge knowledge gaps between innovation producers and rural communities.
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Agricultural innovation from above and from below: Confrontation and integration on Rwanda's Hills
Rwanda's smallholder banana farmers develop their own innovations alongside top-down agricultural modernization efforts promoted by the World Bank's Green Revolution agenda. The paper shows how farmers receive and adapt macro-level innovations while simultaneously creating grassroots solutions driven by their own risk-management needs. The authors argue that policymakers must prioritize farmers' capacity for bottom-up innovation when designing Rwanda's agricultural strategies.
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Stimulating small-scale farmer innovation and adaptation with Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA): Lessons from successful implementation in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and South Asia
PICSA is a participatory approach that trains smallholder farmers to use climate and weather information for agricultural decision-making. Evaluations across seven countries show 87% of trained farmers made beneficial changes to crops, livestock, or livelihoods. The approach succeeds by treating farmers as decision-makers, tailoring information to local contexts, and strengthening extension and meteorological services. Over 200,000 farmers in 23 countries have been trained, and the method is now integrated into policy and training programs.
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Organic agriculture: A fountain of alternative innovations for social, economic, and environmental challenges of conventional agriculture in a developing country context
Organic farming in Kenya generates multiple innovations addressing conventional agriculture's failures. Farmers adopted financial innovations, peer learning systems, and agro-tourism. They converted waste into pest control and soil fertility products, created new marketing channels like farmers' markets and delivery schemes, and established participatory certification systems. These innovations reduce information gaps, market risk, and financial service barriers. However, government policy support remains insufficient.
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Enhanced learning from multi‐stakeholder partnerships: Lessons from the Enabling Rural Innovation in Africa programme
Multi-stakeholder partnerships in rural innovation require structured learning approaches to succeed. The Enabling Rural Innovation programme in Africa identified five key success factors: shared vision, strong leadership support, demonstrated benefits, investment in human and social capital, and joint resource mobilization. Major challenges include staff turnover, personality conflicts, institutional differences, and sustaining private sector engagement. Participatory reflection practices help organizations build partnership capacity and drive innovation.
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Gendered mobilities and immobilities: Women’s and men’s capacities for agricultural innovation in Kenya and Nigeria
Gender norms restrict women's mobility in Kenya and Nigeria, limiting their access to agricultural services and farmer groups compared to men. Women face constraints on where they can travel, when, and for how long. The study reveals that access to agricultural innovation networks often reflects gender role expectations rather than individual choice, creating time pressures that affect capacity to innovate. Interventions must address how norms and agency intersect to support equitable participation in agricultural innovation.
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Enabling rural innovation in Africa: An approach for integrating farmer participatory research and market orientation for building the assets of rural poor
The Enabling Rural Innovation approach integrates farmer participatory research with market orientation to help small-scale farmers in Africa develop profitable agroenterprises. Testing in Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania shows farmers select crops based on mixed economic and non-economic criteria. Success requires building human and social capital, strengthening partnerships between research organizations and communities, and connecting local innovations to national and regional market institutions.
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Effectiveness of Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovations in Smallholder Agriculture System in Ethiopia
This study evaluated how climate-smart agriculture innovations affect smallholder farmers in Ethiopia's highlands. Using data from 424 farmers, researchers found that improved crop varieties, compost, row planting, and agroforestry simultaneously boost food security, climate adaptation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Crop rotation and soil conservation each delivered two of these three benefits. Crop residue management failed to meet the targets. The authors recommend farmers adopt a portfolio combining improved varieties, crop rotation, compost, row planting, soil conservation, and agroforestry.
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Developing capacity for agricultural market chain innovation: Experience with the ‘PMCA’ in Uganda
The Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA), originally developed in the Andes to drive pro-poor agricultural innovation, was successfully adapted and applied in Uganda to stimulate technological and institutional innovation in local commodity chains. The approach requires intensive capacity development that builds social networks, shifts attitudes, and develops both technical and social skills among researchers, farmers, market agents, and policymakers working together across the value chain.
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Making technological innovations accessible to agricultural water management: Design of a low-cost wireless sensor network for drip irrigation monitoring in Tunisia
Researchers developed an affordable, open-source wireless soil moisture sensor for drip irrigation monitoring in Tunisia. The device addresses barriers to water management technology adoption by eliminating high costs and technical complexity that prevent farmers from using commercial sensors. Field testing over a growing season showed the low-cost sensor performs comparably to commercial alternatives and enables real-time irrigation monitoring and water management decisions.
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Addressing the paradox – the divergence between smallholders’ preference and actual adoption of agricultural innovations
Smallholder farmers in Rwanda prefer certain tree species for agroforestry but don't adopt them without enabling conditions. The study identifies five critical requirements for adoption: available quality inputs, compatibility with existing farming systems, climate resilience, simple management, and market access. National one-size-fits-all strategies fail; instead, tailored approaches addressing specific constraints for priority species in different agroecological zones drive sustainable adoption.
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Rural entrepreneurship and transformation: the role of learnerships
A learnership program in rural South Africa significantly empowered unemployed women and youth by providing skills training and business access. The study found the program enhanced social transformation through rural entrepreneurship, though success required sustained implementation of recommended measures. The research identifies both enabling factors and barriers to rural business development in disadvantaged communities.
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The impact of social grant-dependency on agricultural entrepreneurship among rural households in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Social grant dependency negatively affects agricultural entrepreneurship among rural farming households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study of 513 households found that grants create disincentive effects that inhibit entrepreneurial development. Conversely, asset ownership, government support services like extension and credit, and infrastructure access like tenure security and market access all strengthen agricultural entrepreneurship. The findings suggest policymakers should enhance household risk-bearing capacity and government support to boost smallholder farmer entrepreneurship.
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Assessment of the Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) approach: Case studies from Malawi and Uganda
The Enabling Rural Innovation approach strengthens rural communities in Malawi and Uganda by linking smallholder farmers to markets and building entrepreneurial capacity. Results show households increased incomes and assets, farmers gained market analysis and negotiation skills, and gender decision-making became more shared at household and community levels. Women acquired skills at lower rates than men. Participatory research boosted farmer investments in soil fertility technologies.
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Using nature-based water storage for smallholder irrigated agriculture in African drylands: Lessons from frugal innovation pilots in Mozambique and Zimbabwe
Smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe and Mozambique can access water for irrigation from shallow sand river aquifers using low-cost well-points and solar pumps, costing under $1,000 per 0.2 hectares. Pilots show water availability is not the constraint; instead, success depends on farmers' prior experience, market access, and willingness to adopt individual commercial farming rather than traditional communal irrigation schemes. The approach scales gradually as farmers expand operations.
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Factors affecting the adoption of agricultural innovations on underutilized cereals: The case of finger millet among smallholder farmers in Kenya
Smallholder finger millet farmers in Kenya adopt agricultural innovations—improved varieties, conservation tillage, pest management, and group marketing—based on specific factors. Plot size, off-farm income, household credit, and extension contact increase adoption likelihood and intensity. Technical training boosts adoption depth but sometimes discourages initial uptake. Understanding these drivers enables policymakers to design strategies that raise innovation adoption rates, improving food security and farmer incomes.
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Building farmers' capacity for innovation generation: Insights from rural Ghana
Rural farmers in Ghana who participate in farmer field forums—a participatory extension approach—generate significantly more innovations than non-participants, with 27% higher probability of innovation and 49% more innovation practices implemented. Education and risk preference also drive farmer innovation. However, the program shows no spillover benefits to non-participants, raising cost-effectiveness concerns. Policies should build farmer innovation capacity through institutional arrangements enabling stakeholder interaction and learning.
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Qualitative exploration of cultural practices inhibiting rural women entrepreneurship development in selected communities in Nigeria
Cultural practices in Nigeria significantly restrict rural women's entrepreneurship opportunities and inhibit the success of government initiatives. The study, conducted in Southeast and Southwest Nigeria using focus groups and case studies, found that traditional beliefs and customs limit which businesses women can pursue. The researchers conclude that policymakers must consider cultural factors and work toward community reorientation to effectively develop women's entrepreneurship in rural areas.
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Exploring Opportunities for Enhancing Innovation in Agriculture: The Case of Oil Palm Production in Ghana
This study identifies institutional barriers limiting innovation in Ghana's oil palm sector. Researchers found that technical farm-level innovations alone cannot drive sustainable production and poverty reduction without addressing systemic constraints. The study recommends integrating small-scale processors into value chains, organizing farmers for better negotiating power, improving access to high-yielding seedlings, and reforming tenancy arrangements to incentivize tenant farmer investment.
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Effects of perceptions on adoption of climate-smart agriculture innovations: empirical evidence from the upper Blue Nile Highlands of Ethiopia
Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia's Upper Blue Nile Highlands adopt climate-smart agriculture innovations like improved crop varieties, soil conservation, and agroforestry when they perceive these practices increase productivity, enhance soil fertility, and reduce climate vulnerability. Positive perceptions about benefits for food security and climate adaptation drive adoption. The study recommends strengthening farmer awareness through extension services and local institutions to boost CSA uptake.
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Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas
Women-led social innovations in rural Canada, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, and Serbia address gender equity challenges by reconstructing discriminatory practices, institutions, and beliefs. The study identifies a reconstructive social innovation cycle—cyclical processes where women engage through civil society initiatives to question and transform marginalizing norms. These innovations operate across everyday practices, institutional structures, and cognitive frames, offering concrete pathways for rural women to overcome patriarchal barriers and create opportunities for education and employment.
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What innovations impact agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa?
This study analyzes which agricultural innovations boost productivity across 22 Sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2014. Pesticides and irrigation increase productivity, while fertilizer shows mixed results. Crop diversification improves profits and output. Labor-saving machinery like tractors and harvesters significantly raise productivity. The findings inform policy recommendations for agricultural development in the region.
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Exploring potential climate-related entrepreneurship opportunities and challenges for rural Nigerian women
Rural women in southwest Nigeria recognize climate change impacts on their livelihoods and show strong interest in entrepreneurship as adaptation. Crop farmers demonstrate the highest climate awareness. Women report soil fertility loss, unpredictable rainfall, and extended dry seasons severely affecting their activities. The study identifies technological, institutional, and infrastructural innovations as opportunities to build adaptive capacity and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need for government support and collaboration between local authorities, community organizations, and public-private actors.
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Rural entrepreneurship and rural development in Nigeria
Rural entrepreneurs in Nigeria can drive development by leveraging local resources, increasing output, and creating employment while reducing urban migration. However, they face significant barriers including insufficient funding and lack of government support. The study surveyed 200 rural entrepreneurs and recommends that governments create enabling policies and assistance to make rural areas more attractive for entrepreneurial activity.
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Optimization and cost-benefit assessment of hybrid power systems for off-grid rural electrification in Ethiopia
A hybrid power system combining solar, wind, battery storage, and diesel generation can reliably electrify remote rural villages in Ethiopia at lower cost than standalone solar systems. Researchers modeled an optimal system for a specific village, finding it generates electricity at $0.207 per kilowatt-hour while reducing annual carbon emissions by 37.3 tons compared to diesel-only generation.
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Does microfinance reduce rural poverty?
Microfinance borrowing causally increases household consumption and housing improvements among farm households in northern Ethiopia. Using panel data tracked over four rounds, the study finds that repeated borrowing produces cumulative long-term poverty reduction effects. Short-term impact estimates underestimate credit's true benefits on rural poverty.
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Decentralized rural electrification in Kenya: Speeding up universal energy access
This paper maps Kenya's energy infrastructure and develops a spatial model to identify cost-effective rural electrification strategies. The model evaluates diesel generators, solar, wind, hydro mini-grids, hybrid systems, and grid extension for remote areas. Comparing the model's results with Kenya's national Rural Electrification Master Plan reveals complementarities in planning approaches. The analysis shows that decentralized renewable energy systems can deliver universal energy access to rural households competitively.
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Managing indigenous knowledge for sustainable agricultural development in developing countries: Knowledge management approaches in the social context
Indigenous knowledge about agriculture in Tanzania is shared through weak, informal networks, causing significant knowledge loss. The study found that gender, location, culture, trust, and ICT access shape how farmers acquire and share agricultural knowledge. Knowledge management approaches can integrate indigenous knowledge with other systems while accounting for these differences, supporting sustainable agricultural development in developing countries.
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Rural and micro finance regulation in Ghana: implications for development and performance of the industry
Ghana's regulatory framework for rural and microfinance institutions shaped the development of diverse formal, semi-formal, and informal providers serving different market segments. The study finds that overly permissive early entry policies created weak institutions using untested methodologies, damaging credibility and straining supervision resources. Effective regulation requires balancing market access for broader outreach against prudential standards and adequate supervisory capacity.
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Feasibility Study and Comparative Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Power System for off-Grid Rural Electrification in a Typical Remote Village Located in Nigeria
This study designs and evaluates a hybrid renewable energy system combining hydro, solar, wind, diesel, and battery storage to electrify a remote village in Nigeria without grid connection. Using simulation modeling, researchers compared multiple energy combinations and found that a hybrid hydro/PV/wind/diesel/battery system delivered the lowest cost and highest environmental performance, achieving 77% renewable energy with minimal emissions while meeting electricity demand affordably.
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Techno-economic analysis of off-grid PV-Diesel power generation system for rural electrification: A case study of Chilubi district in Zambia
A techno-economic analysis of hybrid power systems for rural electrification in Chilubi district, Zambia shows that standalone diesel generators are economically unsustainable due to high fuel costs and maintenance. Pure photovoltaic systems with battery storage deliver the lowest levelized cost of energy, despite higher upfront capital costs. Declining solar installation costs make PV systems increasingly attractive for off-grid rural electrification compared to diesel alternatives.
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COVID-19, Distance Learning and Educational Inequality in Rural Ethiopia
Ethiopia implemented distance learning through radio, TV, and online programs after COVID-19 school closures in March 2020. Rural students face significant disadvantages compared to urban peers due to limited access to technology and infrastructure. The one-size-fits-all approach to distance education deepens existing educational inequalities rather than bridging them.
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Chefs as change-makers from the kitchen: indigenous knowledge and traditional food as sustainability innovations
Kitchens and chefs drive food system transformation by leveraging traditional knowledge of local food species to create nutritious, delicious dishes. The paper identifies cooks as key innovators addressing food security and sustainability challenges. By connecting indigenous food knowledge to contemporary culinary practice, chefs help build more equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems.
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Achieving universal electrification of rural healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa with decentralized renewable energy technologies
Rural health centers across sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity, limiting medical equipment access. Decentralized photovoltaic systems can reliably electrify over 50,000 facilities for EUR 484 million, enabling 281 million people to reduce healthcare travel time by an average of 50 minutes. Solar power offers a clean, cost-effective solution to bridge this critical gap.
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Microfinance Intervention in Poverty Reduction: A Study of Women Farmer-Entrepreneurs in Rural Ghana
Microfinance programs combining credit provision with social intermediation successfully reduce poverty among rural women farmer-entrepreneurs in Ghana. Strong social networks and group relationships drive the scheme's effectiveness, improving credit access, business performance, and living standards. Poverty reduction programs in developing countries should integrate social and human development components into microfinancing policies.
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Deconstructing the concept of renewable energy‐based mini‐grids for rural electrification in East Africa
Mini-grids are promoted as a solution for rural electrification in East Africa, but this study reveals most existing mini-grid projects actually serve medium-sized towns already near the grid, not rural villages. Only limited activity targets genuinely rural areas, where the real challenges lie in developing viable financing, ownership, and business models. The paper identifies research gaps and proposes directions for advancing mini-grids that actually reach rural populations.
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Indigenous Welfare and Community-Based Social Development: Lessons from African Innovations
Indigenous community-based welfare practices in Southern Africa have long supported social well-being but remain underrecognized. The paper examines three examples where traditional cooperative practices integrate with formal social development programs, demonstrating how these innovations strengthen communities. The authors argue that other countries should adopt similar approaches to combine indigenous knowledge with formal development initiatives.
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Off‐grid hybrid renewable energy system for rural healthcare centers: A case study in Nigeria
This study designs an optimal off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for rural healthcare centers across Nigeria's six regions. Researchers evaluated combinations of solar, wind, diesel, and battery systems using technical and economic analysis, including sensitivity testing for fuel subsidy removal. A solar-diesel-battery configuration proved most cost-effective across all locations, delivering 70-80% renewable energy with energy costs between $0.51-0.54 per kilowatt-hour.
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Climate change and small-scale agriculture in Africa: Does indigenous knowledge matter? Insights from Kenya and South Africa
Small-scale farmers in Kenya and South Africa use indigenous knowledge to predict weather, manage rainfall, preserve seeds, and adapt farming practices to climate change impacts. The study of 115 respondents shows local communities deploy traditional methods effectively to cope with adverse environmental conditions. The authors argue that combining indigenous knowledge with modern science creates stronger agricultural strategies for African farmers facing climate change.
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Design of a solar energy centre for providing lighting and income-generating activities for off-grid rural communities in Kenya
Off-grid solar systems in rural Kenya often fail because users cannot afford ongoing costs. This paper designs a solar energy centre that combines basic lighting and phone charging with income-generating activities. The authors demonstrate that this integrated approach makes the system economically viable and sustainable, allowing communities to generate revenue that supports continued operation and maintenance of the power supply.
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Benefits and challenges to productive use of off-grid rural electrification: The case of mini-hydropower in Bulongwa-Tanzania
A mini-hydropower minigrid in southern Tanzania enabled productive uses including barber shops, welding, phone charging, and salons. However, the system faces sustainability challenges: poor initial planning, lack of technicians and spare parts, inadequate tariffs that don't reflect market prices, and insufficient power capacity requiring load shedding. Subsidized electricity alone cannot drive rural business growth without addressing technical resources, planning, and pricing structures.
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Associations Between Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment and Intimate Partner Violence: Findings From a Microfinance Plus Program in Rural North West Province, South Africa
A microfinance program in rural South Africa shows that women's economic empowerment reduces physical and sexual intimate partner violence, but the relationship between specific economic indicators and different abuse types remains inconsistent. Economic stress and traditional gender roles within marriages influence violence risk. The study finds that complementary programming addressing multiple empowerment dimensions is needed, as different aspects of women's economic situation affect different forms of abuse differently.
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Optimizing the performance of hybrid renewable energy systems to accelerate a sustainable energy transition in Nigeria: A case study of a rural healthcare centre in Kano
A hybrid renewable energy system combining solar panels and diesel generators was designed and tested for a rural healthcare facility in Kano, Nigeria. The solar-diesel configuration proved most cost-effective, generating $30,583 in annual savings with a 1.3-year payback period while reducing CO2 emissions by 75 tons annually. This approach addresses severe energy shortages in rural African healthcare facilities and offers a practical alternative to relying solely on diesel generators.
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Knowledge management approaches in managing agricultural indigenous and exogenous knowledge in Tanzania
Western knowledge management models fail to address rural farming communities in developing countries. This study examined how Tanzanian farmers acquire and share both indigenous and exogenous agricultural knowledge. Indigenous knowledge spreads through small local networks, while exogenous knowledge reaches wider audiences via formal sources. Policies, legal frameworks, ICTs, and culture shape knowledge access. The researcher developed a new knowledge management model tailored to rural developing-world contexts.
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Process evaluation of the Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity (IMAGE) in rural South Africa
The IMAGE program combines microfinance with gender and HIV training in rural South Africa. While the intervention reduced intimate partner violence among clients, it showed limited effects on sexual behavior in households and communities. Process evaluation found microfinance and training were feasible and acceptable, but community mobilization faced barriers to collective action. Neither delivery model proved sustainable long-term, suggesting partnerships between microfinance institutions and non-academic agencies warrant further investigation.
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Economic evaluation of a combined microfinance and gender training intervention for the prevention of intimate partner violence in rural South Africa
A combined microfinance and gender training program in rural South Africa reduces intimate partner violence while generating economic benefits. The intervention cost $7,688 per disability-adjusted life year gained during trials and $2,307 during scale-up, making it cost-effective. The program delivers health and development gains beyond violence prevention alone.
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Indigenous agricultural knowledge: A neglected human based resource for sustainable crop protection and production
Indigenous agricultural practices in Ethiopia significantly improve crop production and reduce reliance on expensive chemical inputs. Farmers use traditional seed selection, pest management, and soil conservation methods adapted to local rainfall, soil, and crop conditions. Education level, marital status, and farming experience influence adoption of these practices. Documenting and scientifically validating indigenous knowledge could promote sustainable, organic farming and lower agriculture's environmental impact.
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Design, Simulation, and Economic Optimization of an Off-Grid Photovoltaic System for Rural Electrification
This paper designs and optimizes an off-grid solar photovoltaic system for a rural house in Morocco. The system combines 1080 Wp of solar panels with battery storage and a diesel generator backup, achieving 79% solar coverage and electricity costs of $0.57/kWh. Further optimization reduces costs to $0.356/kWh by lowering solar capacity, demonstrating how renewable energy systems can provide affordable, clean power to rural African communities.
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Scoping exercise to determine load profile archetype reference shapes for solar co-generation models in isolated off-grid rural African villages
This paper develops realistic hourly energy consumption profiles for isolated rural villages in Southern Africa to support solar micro-CHP system design. The researchers created time-series load profiles for thermal and power demand in typical off-grid villages, accounting for current reliance on firewood, biomass, candles, and kerosene. These profiles enable accurate computer modeling and testing of hybrid solar systems as viable electrification solutions for remote communities.
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Evaluating the impact of industrial loads on the performance of solar PV/diesel hybrid renewable energy systems for rural electrification in Ghana
Adding agro-processing productive loads to off-grid solar PV/diesel hybrid systems improves their performance for rural electrification in Ghana. The study used HOMER software to analyze a hybrid system and found that productive loads increase the load factor and solar correlation, reducing the cost of electricity generation. However, even with improvements, the cost remains higher than Ghana's national grid tariffs for residential consumers.
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Reducing vulnerability of rain‐fed agriculture to drought through indigenous knowledge systems in north‐eastern Ghana
Farmers in north-eastern Ghana reduce drought vulnerability in rain-fed agriculture by using indigenous knowledge systems. They plant multiple drought-resistant crop varieties, stagger planting across farms, apply organic manure, control soil erosion with grass strips and stone terracing, and adopt paddy farming for water conservation. The paper recommends integrating these indigenous practices into district development and climate adaptation planning.
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Enhancing Sustainable Production and Genetic Resource Conservation of Bambara Groundnut: A Survey of Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge Systems
Bambara groundnut is underutilized in Africa despite high market value and potential for commercial production. Researchers surveyed indigenous farming practices in Ghana's Upper West region to document traditional knowledge about crop production and genetic resource conservation. The study found that local farmers possess valuable knowledge about variety selection, pest management, and germplasm conservation. The findings identify research and extension priorities for improving production while preserving locally adapted varieties.
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Understanding indigenous knowledge: Bridging the knowledge gap through a knowledge creation model for agricultural development
Indigenous knowledge management in Tanzania's agricultural sector can be strengthened using Nonaka's knowledge creation theory. The study found that local communities need structured knowledge-creating environments to capture, preserve, and share traditional agricultural knowledge while integrating it with new technologies and innovations. Adequate resources for documentation are essential before this knowledge disappears.
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Microfinance against malaria: impact of Freedom from Hunger's malaria education when delivered by rural banks in Ghana
A malaria education program delivered through rural microfinance banks in Ghana significantly improved clients' malaria knowledge and prevention behaviors compared to control groups. Participants who received malaria education were more likely to identify vulnerable populations, recognize insecticide-treated nets as protective, and actually own and use bed nets. The program achieved the largest increases in net ownership and use, demonstrating that microfinance institutions can effectively support national malaria control efforts.
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Renewable Energy Sources microgrid design for rural area in South Africa
A photovoltaic battery microgrid system provides cheaper and cleaner electricity access than grid extension for rural South Africa. Researchers analyzed the Umhlabuyalingana municipality, where only 20% of residents have electricity. The PV-battery microgrid costs $0.378/kWh with zero emissions and 100% renewable energy, compared to grid extension at $0.328/kWh with significant carbon emissions. The microgrid becomes economically viable within 34 km, making it ideal for dispersed rural communities far from existing power lines.
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AGRICULTURAL FINANCING POLICIES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
Nigeria's government has created agricultural financing policies, schemes, and institutions aimed at rural development, but inadequate budget allocation and corruption undermine their effectiveness. The study recommends that Nigeria increase strategic agricultural investment, upgrade rural infrastructure, boost farm productivity, enhance competitiveness, and combat corruption to achieve rural development goals.
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The benefits of energy appliances in the off-grid energy sector based on seven off-grid initiatives in rural Uganda
Rural electrification projects in Uganda typically prioritize lighting and phone charging, but this study identifies broader benefits of energy appliances that project designers overlook. Through interviews with 119 users across seven off-grid initiatives, the research found that beneficiaries value appliances most for business opportunities, labor reduction, health protection, personal security, food security, and comfort. Users sometimes preferred traditional energy sources like candles over modern alternatives, revealing gaps between implementer assumptions and actual community needs.
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Microfinance and Rural Household Development
A study of 139 rural households in Ghana's Upper West Region finds that microfinance borrowers divert significant loan portions toward household consumption rather than productive investment. While this generates moderate improvements in household productivity and welfare, microfinance's overall impact on rural community development remains modest. The findings suggest microfinance alone does not reliably reduce poverty or drive rural economic growth.
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Microfinance and HIV prevention – emerging lessons from rural South Africa
Microfinance programs in rural South Africa can reduce HIV vulnerability by building economic confidence and well-being among participants. The IMAGE intervention integrated microfinance with HIV prevention activities, combining loans with health education and gender equity work. The study documents operational challenges, practical lessons, and limitations from several years of field implementation, contributing evidence that economic empowerment supports HIV prevention outcomes.
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Design and implementation of Hybrid Renewable energy (PV/Wind/Diesel/Battery) Microgrids for rural areas.
This study designs and tests a hybrid microgrid system combining solar panels, wind turbines, diesel generators, and batteries for rural electrification. Using simulation software, the researchers developed control strategies to manage power flow from multiple energy sources and maintain system stability. The coordinated control approach successfully optimized the microgrid's performance, demonstrating that these hybrid systems can reliably serve remote areas.
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A Novel Off-Grid Optimal Hybrid Energy System for Rural Electrification of Tanzania Using a Closed Loop Cooled Solar System
This paper designs an off-grid hybrid solar-wind energy system for rural Tanzania, where electrification rates are extremely low. The system includes a novel closed-loop cooled solar design that increases power output by 10.23% compared to conventional panels. Using optimization software and local resource data, the authors demonstrate a cost-effective configuration with energy costs of $0.26/kWh, suitable for remote areas with similar climates.
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Electrifying the Poor: Highly Economic Off-Grid PV Systems in Ethiopia - A Basis for Sustainable Rural Development
Rural Ethiopia lacks electricity access for 80% of its population. Off-grid solar photovoltaic systems are economically viable there due to excellent solar conditions and high oil prices, with payback periods of 2-4 years. The paper presents a solar electrification roadmap including demonstration projects, training programs, and local solar businesses that generate purchasing power and enable sustainable rural development.
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Feasibility study for power generation using off- grid energy system from micro hydro-PV-diesel generator-battery for rural area of Ethiopia: The case of Melkey Hera village, Western Ethiopia
This study evaluates a hybrid off-grid power system combining micro hydro, solar PV, battery storage, and diesel generation for a rural village in western Ethiopia. The system design uses HOMER software to optimize configuration and meets local electricity demand cost-effectively at $0.133/kWh. Hydropower provides 79% of energy, PV provides 20%, and diesel provides 1%, with 99% renewable energy fraction. The hybrid system proves more reliable and cost-effective than grid extension for remote rural electrification.
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Indigenous Technologies and Innovation in Nigeria: Opportunities for SMEs
Nigeria's indigenous technologies offer substantial opportunities for small and medium enterprises to drive local economic growth and compete globally. The study examined three major indigenous technology clusters in Nigeria and reviewed successful cases from other countries to identify structural and policy directions. The findings highlight the need for systematic mapping of indigenous knowledge and technology systems to unlock their economic potential.
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Performance and reliability analysis of an off-grid PV mini-grid system in rural tropical Africa: A case study in southern Ethiopia
A solar photovoltaic mini-grid system in rural Ethiopia generated 46.6% less electricity than estimated, delivering only 87% of produced power to users due to capture and system losses. The system performed poorly with 13% capacity factor and 8.76% overall efficiency, forcing 13 hours of daily power cuts. The study shows that accurate demand forecasting and proper system sizing accounting for local weather and future growth are essential for reliable off-grid rural electrification.
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Renewable energy supported microgrid in rural electrification of Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa faces severe energy poverty, with 600 million people lacking electricity access. This review examines renewable energy microgrids and off-grid systems as solutions for rural electrification across the region. The paper discusses energy poverty's economic impacts, current microgrid developments, technical and implementation challenges, and the potential of renewable technologies to transform rural electrification efforts.
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Synergizing hybrid renewable energy systems and sustainable agriculture for rural development in Nigeria
Hybrid renewable energy systems combining solar, biogas, and wind can reliably power Nigerian farms while reducing costs and emissions. A case study shows solar dominates energy production, with a payback period of 7.22 years and negligible carbon emissions. The research demonstrates HRES is economically viable and environmentally sound for rural agriculture, though policy inconsistencies and infrastructure gaps remain barriers to widespread adoption.
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Design and Modeling of a Standalone DC-Microgrid for Off-Grid Schools in Rural Areas of Developing Countries
This paper designs a DC microgrid system to provide electricity to off-grid rural schools in Ethiopia, where 76% of primary schools lack power. The researchers modeled the system using different appliance efficiency scenarios and found that DC microgrids effectively meet school electricity demands. High-efficiency appliances reduce system costs by 51%, making this solution applicable across sub-Saharan Africa to improve educational access and quality.
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Assessments of Wind‐Energy Potential in Selected Sites from Three Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria: Implications for Renewable/Sustainable Rural Electrification
Wind energy can provide affordable rural electrification across Nigeria's three major geopolitical zones. Analysis of wind-speed data from Katsina, Warri, and Calabar shows that even low wind-speed sites can generate electricity at economically viable costs—ranging from €0.0507 to €0.0819 per kWh—making wind turbines a practical renewable solution for electrifying remote rural communities.
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Agricultural Financing in Nigeria: An Empirical Study of Nigerian Agricultural Co-operative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB): 1990-2010
Agricultural credit significantly drives economic growth in Nigeria, but loan repayment failures have hampered development. The study of Nigeria's Agricultural Co-operative and Rural Development Bank from 1990-2010 reveals a strong relationship between agricultural financing and economic growth. The research recommends increasing loan availability and reducing interest rates to boost rural agricultural development and national economic expansion.
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Rural household preferences in transition from traditional to renewable energy sources: the applicability of the energy ladder hypothesis in North Gondar Zone
Rural households in North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia show strong willingness to transition from traditional to renewable energy sources. Hydropower emerges as the most preferred option, followed by solar energy. Socioeconomic factors—age, family size, income, education, and access to credit—significantly influence household energy choices. The study demonstrates that rural households are willing to pay substantial amounts for cleaner energy services, suggesting viable cost-sharing models for renewable energy implementation.
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Feasibility analysis of off-grid hybrid energy system for rural electrification in Northern Ghana
A hybrid energy system combining solar panels, diesel generators, and battery storage offers the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for electrifying off-grid rural areas in northern Ghana. Simulation analysis shows the system produces energy at $0.399 per kilowatt-hour, roughly three times current Ghana rates. However, policy support through fuel cost management and capital subsidies could make this approach economically viable for rural electrification.
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Drivers and Barriers to Rural Electrification in Tanzania and Mozambique - Grid Extension, Off-Grid and Renewable Energy Sources
Rural electrification rates in Tanzania and Mozambique remain below 5%, with grid extension too slow for remote areas. Off-grid systems using diesel generators are unreliable and expensive. Renewable energy alternatives like solar, micro-hydro, wind, and biofuels exist but face significant adoption barriers. This study identifies country-specific institutional, financial, and poverty-related drivers and barriers to both grid and off-grid electrification through interviews with ten national energy sector stakeholders.
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Challenges of Managing Indigenous Knowledge with other Knowledge Systems for Agricultural Growth in sub-Saharan Africa
Tanzanian smallholder farmers struggle to manage indigenous agricultural knowledge and access external information due to personal, social, and environmental barriers including weak infrastructure, poor extension service linkages, and ICT adoption challenges. The study recommends governments improve rural infrastructure and extension services, knowledge providers foster knowledge-sharing cultures, and farmers receive training to document and disseminate knowledge through participatory approaches that integrate indigenous and external systems.
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The Role and Sustainability of Microfinance Banks in Reducing Poverty and Development of Entrepreneurship in Urban and Rural Areas in Nigeria
Microfinance banks in Nigeria's Lagos State struggle to reduce poverty and support entrepreneurship due to significant operational challenges. The study found high loan default rates among small enterprises and identified major obstacles including poor credit documentation, applicant identity verification issues, and economic instability. These problems undermine the sustainability of microfinance institutions attempting to empower rural and urban entrepreneurs through credit access.
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Optimal Design and Operation of an Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System in Nigeria’s Rural Residential Area, Using Fuzzy Logic and Optimization Techniques
This study designs and operates an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for a rural Nigerian community using particle swarm optimization to minimize electricity costs and fuzzy logic to manage power distribution. The optimized system achieves a levelized cost of 0.48 USD/kWh with full battery storage and 1.17 USD/kWh with half storage. The results provide practical guidance for feasibility assessments of minigrids in rural areas.
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A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa
Rural sub-Saharan Africa faces overlapping development gaps: most cropland relies on rainfall alone, smallholder farmers lack electricity for irrigation and storage, and two-thirds of rural residents have no power access. This paper proposes a research agenda integrating renewable energy, water, climate, and agriculture to develop sustainable business models that help smallholder farmers increase yields and escape poverty while accounting for population growth and climate extremes.
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Policy Pathways for Mapping Clean Energy Access for Cooking in the Global South—A Case for Rural Communities
Rural communities in the Global South lack access to modern cooking energy, affecting 1.5 billion people. This study maps clean cooking technologies and policies for three countries—Fiji, Ghana, and Nigeria—by surveying end-users, energy suppliers, and interest groups. The research proposes policy pathways that coordinate governments, NGOs, energy developers, and businesses, with a business model progressing from government-driven to incentive-driven to private-sector-driven as technology adoption increases.
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Rurality and access to higher education
Rural populations face significant barriers to accessing higher education compared to urban populations, both globally and within individual countries. These disparities reflect historical inequalities rooted in colonialism and neo-imperialism, which continue to marginalize rural knowledge systems. The paper examines how rurality mediates educational access and employment opportunities across diverse geographic contexts, revealing that rural-urban inequalities persist in both the global South and North, though often more starkly in the South.
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Participatory science and innovation for improved sanitation and hygiene: process and outcome evaluation of project SHINE, a school-based intervention in Rural Tanzania
Project SHINE engaged pastoralist students and communities in rural Tanzania through participatory science education to develop sustainable sanitation and hygiene improvements. Students showed significant behavioral changes including reduced unhygienic practices, increased handwashing intention, and improved social communication about sanitation. Youth demonstrated strong leadership and communities participated enthusiastically. Locally-developed projects like soap-making from local materials proved viable for long-term health and livelihood gains.
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Feasibility Study of Hydrokinetic Power for Energy Access in Rural South Africa
This study evaluates hydrokinetic power generation as a viable renewable energy solution for rural South Africa. The researchers simulated hydrokinetic systems using HOMER software and compared them against photovoltaic, diesel generator, and grid extension options. They found hydrokinetic power offers reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for remote areas with adequate water resources, while requiring minimal infrastructure and environmental impact. The paper identifies key challenges to technology adoption in South Africa.
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Applying Lithium-Ion Second Life Batteries for Off-Grid Solar Powered System—A Socio-Economic Case Study for Rural Development
A hybrid solar and second-life lithium-ion battery system successfully powered an island community in Lake Victoria, Tanzania, supplying 42 kWh daily to hospitals, schools, and fishing operations. The system paid for itself within four years and outperformed diesel generators economically and environmentally. This demonstrates how repurposed electric vehicle batteries can electrify remote African regions while addressing rural development needs.
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Decentralized renewable energies and the water-energy-food nexus in rural Morocco
A pilot project in Morocco's Youssoufia Province demonstrates how decentralized renewable energy initiatives benefit rural communities by addressing interconnected water, energy, and food challenges. The approach builds partnerships across sectors, reduces trade-offs between competing resource demands, and improves coordination for sustainable development and community well-being in the face of climate change and pandemic disruptions.
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Challenges of sustaining off-grid power generation in Nigeria rural communities
Nigeria's off-grid power projects fail at high rates due to poor planning, technology gaps, and operational challenges. The paper identifies why state governments and international donors struggle to sustain remote electricity systems where grid extension is impractical. It recommends improved planning before installation and stronger government involvement to prevent project abandonment and deliver reliable power to rural communities.
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Access to Microfinance by Rural Women: Implications for Poverty Reduction in Rural Households in Ghana
Microfinance access reduces poverty among rural households in Ghana's Upper East Region, though modestly. Using treatment effect estimation on 500 rural participants, the study finds that receiving microfinance credit decreases poverty by 0.12 percent, measured through consumption expenditure. The authors conclude microfinance works even in extremely poor areas and recommend expanding programs while tailoring delivery to local conditions.
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SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN RURAL GHANA: THE ROLE OF MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS
Microfinance institutions in rural Ghana improve small and medium enterprise performance, helping recipients enhance business activities, increase outputs, and manage finances better than non-recipients. However, challenges like delayed loan disbursement and repayment difficulties persist. The paper recommends timely credit delivery, flexible repayment terms, and awareness programs to sustain rural enterprise growth.
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Promoting Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Development in Africa: Experiences of Zambia
Zambia has introduced renewable energy technologies to meet growing electricity demand and electrify rural households. Solar energy dominates adoption, but remains limited to employed elites. Wind energy remains largely unexploited. Key barriers include weak policy implementation, low rural awareness of renewable benefits, high technology costs, and underdeveloped renewable energy markets.
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A Comprehensive Approach to the Design of a Renewable Energy Microgrid for Rural Ethiopia: The Technical and Social Perspectives
This study designs a renewable energy microgrid for rural Ethiopia combining solar and small-scale hydropower to power irrigation while providing electricity for community needs. Researchers conducted fieldwork interviews to understand local energy demands and social preferences, then modeled four scenarios with different reliability levels. The microgrid proved technically feasible and socially acceptable to the community, with costs sensitive to equipment choices. The authors recommend educational programs and clear policies before implementation.
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The impact of microfinance on rural poor households’ income and vulnerability to poverty: Case Study Of Makueni District, Kenya
Microfinance programs in Kenya's Makueni District significantly improved household incomes and reduced poverty vulnerability among rural participants compared to non-participants. The study confirms that access to credit enables poor households to start micro-enterprises and increase earnings. However, the research warns that microfinance alone cannot guarantee poverty escape without complementary policies supporting broader rural economic growth, agricultural productivity, and employment creation through public-private partnerships.
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Building on the strengths of African indigenous knowledge and innovation (AIK&I) for sustainable development in Africa
African indigenous knowledge and innovation practices offer proven solutions for sustainable development across the continent, yet remain underutilized in policy frameworks like the SDGs. This paper documents successful AIK&I applications in resource management and conservation across African economies, demonstrating their capacity to address development challenges. The authors argue for integrating indigenous perspectives into sustainability agendas and call for research on making these practices more scientific and widely adopted.
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Evaluating renewable energy choices among rural communities in Nigeria. An insight for energy policy
Rural communities in North-Central Nigeria show strong demand for renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaic systems. Awareness, income, and availability significantly influence adoption rates. High installation and maintenance costs, combined with reliability concerns and weak policy incentives, remain major barriers. The study recommends government funding partnerships and subsidies to reduce costs, increase awareness, and enable private firms to supply affordable renewable energy to rural households currently dependent on firewood.
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Impact of Microfinance on Rural Transformation in Nigeria
Microfinance banks in Nigeria fill a critical gap left by traditional deposit money banks, providing financial services to rural poor communities. The study finds that microfinance positively impacts rural transformation through agricultural loans, investment opportunities, savings mobilization, and community development financing. However, challenges including loan repayment problems, borrower illiteracy, and weak monitoring of enterprises limit effectiveness. The authors recommend better product-customer alignment, improved cash flow analysis, expanded service offerings, and stronger regulatory oversight.
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An Overview of Energy Access Solutions for Rural Healthcare Facilities
Rural healthcare facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa lack reliable electricity access, limiting medical equipment operation and increasing mortality rates. This review identifies hybrid renewable energy systems with solar panels and batteries as effective solutions for powering rural health centers. Combining these systems with demand-side management reduces installation costs and improves efficiency. Energy access modeling tools support rural electrification planning for healthcare facilities.
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Does a joint United Nations microfinance ‘plus’ program empower female farmers in rural Ethiopia? Evidence using the pro-WEAI
A UN microfinance program in rural Ethiopia using women-run savings cooperatives increased intrinsic agency and spousal trust among women farmers who maintained credit access. However, some beneficiaries dropped out or lost access early, suggesting implementation challenges or community resistance. The study demonstrates that standardized empowerment metrics can effectively measure development program impacts on rural women in smallholder agriculture.
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Techno-Economic Feasibility Analysis of an Off-Grid Hybrid Energy System for Rural Electrification in Nigeria
This study evaluates the feasibility of a hybrid solar-wind-battery-diesel system for rural electrification in Nigeria, specifically for a secondary school in Moriki. Using HOMER simulation software, researchers found that a solar-battery configuration is optimal, with a net present cost of $18,161 and energy cost of $0.233/kWh. The system eliminates greenhouse gas emissions entirely through 100% renewable energy generation, offering a cost-effective alternative to diesel generators and biomass currently used in off-grid rural areas.
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Factors influencing technology and innovation capability in the Nigerian indigenous oil firms
Nigerian indigenous oil and gas firms develop stronger technology and innovation capabilities when they invest in in-house research and development, allocate dedicated R&D funding, hire experienced and qualified staff, and acquire advanced machinery. Firm size, age, and employee training also matter significantly. The study recommends that government and industry jointly prioritize workforce training, R&D investment, and education to build local technical capacity in oil and gas operations.
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The Application of Homer Optimization Software to Investigate the Prospects of Hybrid Renewable Energy System in Rural Communities of Sokoto in Nigeria
A hybrid solar and wind energy system designed for rural Sokoto, Nigeria proves cost-effective for electrification. Using NASA meteorological data and HOMER optimization software, researchers sized an optimal system combining 35.21kW solar panels, three 25kW wind turbines, and battery storage. The system costs $249,910 upfront but recovers investment in five years, delivering 25 years of maintenance-free, pollution-free electricity to remote communities at lower long-term cost than grid extension.
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Understanding the load profiles and electricity consumption patterns of PV mini-grid customers in rural off-grid east africa: A data-driven study
This study analyzes electricity consumption patterns in two off-grid solar mini-grid communities in Ethiopia using 20 months of metered data and 238 customer surveys. Load profiles differ significantly between the two sites: one experiences daily 13-hour power cuts due to demand exceeding generation capacity, while the other meets continuous demand. Productive users consume three times more electricity than households at both sites. Electricity demand has increased over time at different rates across locations, with distinct factors driving consumption in each town. The findings inform rural electrification planning through mini-grids.
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Feasibility Analysis and Simulation of Integrated Renewable Energy System for Power Generation: A Hypothetical Study of Rural Health Clinic
This paper analyzes the feasibility of a hybrid solar and wind renewable energy system for a rural health clinic in Nigeria. Using meteorological data and energy consumption records, researchers designed and simulated an optimal system combining 5 kW solar panels and a 7.5 kW wind turbine with battery storage. The system generates 16,628 kWh annually, meeting the clinic's full energy needs at a total cost of $137,139. The results demonstrate that stand-alone renewable systems can reliably power rural healthcare facilities.
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Documenting and Disseminating Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Food Security: The Efforts of Agricultural Research Libraries in Nigeria
Agricultural research libraries in Nigeria document and disseminate indigenous farming knowledge to improve food security. The study surveyed librarians at agricultural research institutions to identify which traditional practices have been recorded and what obstacles prevent better documentation. Findings reveal gaps in capturing indigenous agricultural knowledge and offer recommendations for improving how libraries preserve and share these practices to strengthen food production.
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Microfinance Interventions and Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs Rural Constituencies in Kenya
Microfinance institutions in rural Kenya provide credit, savings, and training services to women entrepreneurs. This study examined 80 microfinance members in Mogotio Constituency and found that microcredit and training significantly improved women's empowerment, while savings programs showed no significant effect. The findings support targeted microfinance interventions designed to strengthen women entrepreneurs in rural areas.
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Equal goods, but inequitable capabilities? A gender-differentiated study of off-grid solar energy in rural Tanzania
Off-grid solar systems in rural Tanzania provide equal access to energy goods but create unequal capabilities, particularly for women and low-income households. The poorest households cannot afford solar home systems, while wealthier households use them as backup power. Solar energy remains underutilized for income generation. The study recommends policy reforms and tracking frameworks to ensure women and low-income groups gain equitable capability benefits from off-grid solar expansion.
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Renewable Minigrid Electrification in Off-Grid Rural Ghana: Exploring Households Willingness to Pay
Rural households in Ghana's five pilot renewable minigrid communities are willing to pay an average of 30 GHC per month (about 5 USD) for reliable renewable electricity—double current tariffs. Using contingent valuation surveys, researchers found households would dedicate 9-11% of discretionary income to access clean power. These findings inform tariff regulation and business model design for scaling renewable minigrids across Ghana's 600+ off-grid communities.
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Electricity Access, Community Healthcare Service Delivery, and Rural Development Nexus: Analysis of 3 Solar Electrified CHPS in Off-Grid Communities in Ghana
Solar photovoltaic systems installed at three community health facilities in Ghana generate sufficient electricity for healthcare services and excess capacity for income-generating activities like phone charging and cold storage. Electrified health facilities improved service delivery and saved residents 15–43 hours monthly, with greater benefits for women and children. The study demonstrates that rural electricity access through solar systems strengthens healthcare delivery and creates time for productive work, driving rural development.
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Techo-Economic Analysis of Off-grid Renewable Energy Systems for Rural Electrification in North-eastern Nigeria
This study evaluates five electricity generation systems for a remote village in northeastern Nigeria using techno-economic analysis. Solar radiation and wind speed data show the area has strong renewable potential. A hybrid photovoltaic-diesel system with battery storage proved most cost-effective, reducing expenses by 38% and emissions by 36% compared to diesel-only generation, making it the best option for rural electrification.
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Study of a hybrid renewable energy system for a rural school in Tagzirt, Morocco
Researchers designed a hybrid renewable energy system for a rural school in Morocco combining solar panels, wind turbines, diesel backup, and battery storage. Using HOMER Pro software, they optimized the system to meet the school's daily energy demand of 23 kWh. The final configuration included a 5 kW solar array, 2 kW wind turbine, and 7.8 kW diesel generator, achieving an energy cost of $1.12 per kilowatt-hour.
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Technical, economic and environmental assessment and optimization of four hybrid renewable energy models for rural electrification
Researchers evaluated four hybrid renewable energy systems for rural electrification in Nigeria, comparing solar-wind-battery, solar-wind-battery-generator, solar-wind-fuel-cell, and solar-wind-battery-fuel-cell configurations. The solar-wind-battery system proved most cost-effective at $0.158 per kilowatt-hour while minimizing emissions. Adding fuel cells or diesel generators increased costs significantly. The study recommends a 166 kW solar, 3 wind turbine, 29 battery system as optimal for balancing affordability with environmental sustainability in rural communities.
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Long-term optimal capacity expansion planning for an operating off-grid PV mini-grid in rural Africa under different demand evolution scenarios
This study optimizes long-term capacity expansion for an overloaded solar mini-grid in rural Ethiopia using 20-year projections under three demand growth scenarios. Battery and solar capacity expansions dominate costs, while the system cannot fully meet demand even under optimal expansion. The research shows critical trade-offs between minimizing costs and maximizing reliability, and demonstrates that supporting productive user demand improves financial viability and cost-effectiveness.
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Microfinance and micropreneurship in rural South-East Nigeria: an exploration of the effects of institutions
This study examines 30 women micropreneurs in rural South-East Nigeria to understand how institutions affect their entrepreneurial activities. While microfinance is widely promoted as a solution to institutional gaps in poor regions, the research finds that socio-cultural barriers and patriarchal traditions significantly limit women's trust and engagement with microfinance services. The authors conclude that effective enterprise support in developing nations must address local socio-cultural institutions and lived realities rather than relying solely on financial interventions.
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Predicting Microfinance Credit Default: A Study of Nsoatreman Rural Bank, Ghana
This study develops predictive models to identify which microfinance borrowers at a rural Ghanaian bank will default on loans. Using data from Nsoatreman Rural Bank, the researchers apply machine learning techniques to forecast credit default risk. The findings help rural financial institutions better assess borrower creditworthiness and manage lending decisions more effectively.
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Indigenous knowledge and its relevance for agriculture : a case study in Uganda
This study examines indigenous knowledge about cultivating traditional vegetables in rural Uganda using participatory research methods. The findings show that indigenous agricultural practices differ from conventional approaches, vary within communities, and extend beyond technical knowledge. Comparing results with similar African studies, the authors conclude that understanding and integrating indigenous knowledge into agricultural research and extension programs would improve the effectiveness of future interventions.
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Indigenous African knowledge systems and innovation in higher education in South Africa
South African higher education must integrate indigenous African knowledge systems and innovations into curricula to achieve genuine development. The paper argues that innovation extends beyond formal university and industrial research settings. Incorporating indigenized African knowledge alongside conventional innovation frameworks strengthens the nation's ability to convert knowledge into wealth and social benefit.
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Socio-economic impacts of energy access through off-grid systems in rural communities: a case study of southwest Nigeria
Off-grid energy systems in rural southwest Nigeria created new businesses and jobs while reducing energy costs and increasing household income. The study analyzed how factors like gender, education, business age, and operating hours influenced income generation among electrified enterprises. Results demonstrate that energy access through off-grid systems drives measurable economic development in rural communities.
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Simulation-Based Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Off-grid Rural Electrification
Researchers developed an optimization algorithm for designing hybrid renewable energy systems that serve off-grid rural communities. The algorithm minimizes energy costs and power outages while maximizing energy matching efficiency. Testing showed it reduced levelized energy costs by 6.27% compared to standard software and delivered significant carbon savings. The approach proves computationally efficient for feasibility studies in rural electrification projects.
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Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity (IMAGE): Women’s Engagement with the Scaled-up IMAGE Programme and Experience of Intimate Partner Violence in Rural South Africa
A scaled-up microfinance intervention in rural South Africa improved women's relationship quality and reduced intimate partner violence, particularly economic abuse. Women who received multiple types of support from group members experienced significantly lower past-year violence. The program was widely acceptable, though younger women require targeted engagement. Group support emerged as a critical intervention component.
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Policy pathways for renewable and sustainable energy utilisation in rural coastline communities in the Niger Delta zone of Nigeria
Rural coastal communities in Nigeria's Niger Delta face multiple barriers to renewable energy adoption, including policy gaps, technical challenges, financial constraints, and inadequate information systems. The paper identifies policy pathways to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing the need for coordinated action among government, oil companies, and local stakeholders. Federal renewable energy policies combined with corporate support can drive widespread adoption of renewable technologies to improve energy access and affordability in the region.
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Renewable Energy For Rural Development : The
Renewable energy technologies offer viable alternatives to expensive grid extensions in rural Nigeria. The paper argues that solar, hydropower, wind, and biomass resources can deliver essential energy services—lighting, refrigeration, cooking, transportation—to remote areas where conventional power infrastructure costs prohibit deployment. Policy measures promoting renewable energy adoption are necessary to enable rural development in Nigeria and other developing nations facing energy access challenges.
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Land acquisition, renewable energy development, and livelihood transformation in rural Kenya: The case of the Kipeto wind energy project
Kenya's Kipeto wind energy project demonstrates that large-scale renewable energy development can proceed without dispossessing rural communities when developers fairly compensate affected populations with housing, jobs, and money while preserving land access for livelihoods. The project's success relied on strategic community consultation and negotiation, though some landowners remain dissatisfied with compensation mechanisms. Long-term monitoring is needed to verify whether promises are kept.
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Assessment and selection of a micro-hybrid renewable energy system for sustainable energy generation in rural areas of Zambia
Researchers evaluated micro-hybrid renewable energy systems for rural Zambia using multi-criterion decision analysis across 14 scenarios. A biogas-solar photovoltaic system with battery storage emerged as optimal, outperforming diesel-solar alternatives. The system leverages local biomass and solar resources to replace wood and fossil fuel dependence, meeting rural energy needs while supporting sustainable development in resource-limited regions.
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Integrating Solar Photovoltaic Power Source and Biogas Energy-Based System for Increasing Access to Electricity in Rural Areas of Tanzania
This paper designs and analyzes a hybrid renewable energy system combining solar photovoltaic panels and biogas from livestock manure to provide electricity to a rural village in Tanzania. Using optimization software and artificial intelligence techniques, the researchers demonstrate that this integrated system can meet local energy demand cost-effectively while reducing environmental waste. The hybrid approach proves economically viable and environmentally beneficial for rural electrification.
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A Rising Role for Decentralized Solar Minigrids in Integrated Rural Electrification Planning? Large-Scale, Least-Cost, and Customer-Wise Design of Grid and Off-Grid Supply Systems in Uganda
Uganda faces severe electrification challenges, especially in rural areas. This paper develops an integrated planning model that combines grid extension, solar minigrids, and standalone systems to find the lowest-cost electrification strategy. Applied to southern Uganda, the model shows that minigrids can deliver reliable electricity at significantly lower cost than grid extension in many locations, suggesting they should become central to national electrification planning rather than temporary solutions.
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Modeling, simulation, and optimization of biogas‐diesel hybrid microgrid renewable energy system for electrification in rural area
Researchers modeled and optimized a biogas-diesel hybrid microgrid system for rural electrification using MATLAB and HOMER software. At 4 tons of biomass production, the system runs entirely on biogas, generating 452,820 kWh annually at $0.0484 per kilowatt-hour. The hybrid biogas system reduces costs by 85% compared to diesel-only operation, making it economically viable for rural areas.
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Techno-economic feasibility of hybrid renewable energy system for rural health centre (RHC): The wayward for quality health delivery
Off-grid rural health clinics in areas without reliable electricity can be powered effectively using hybrid renewable energy systems. This study analyzed a health center in northern Nigeria and found that a combination of solar panels, diesel generators, and battery storage provides the most cost-effective and technically viable solution for delivering quality healthcare services to remote villages.
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MANAGING INDIGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS KNOWLEDGE THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT OF THE UN MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN TANZANIA
This paper examines how information and communication technologies can integrate indigenous knowledge with external agricultural expertise to advance farming development in Tanzania. The authors argue that combining local farming practices with modern ICT tools helps achieve broader development goals, particularly in rural agricultural communities where traditional knowledge remains valuable alongside contemporary innovations.
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Mainstreaming Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices in Climate-Sensitive Policies for Resilient Agricultural Systems in Ghana
Ghana's climate and agricultural policies inadequately incorporate indigenous and local knowledge systems, despite their proven effectiveness in adaptation. The study found that while climate adaptation is mentioned in national policies, indigenous knowledge receives minimal priority and faces barriers including lack of dedicated policy, weak government commitment, under-resourced institutions, and poor coordination. Mainstreaming indigenous knowledge into climate policy could strengthen agricultural resilience and rural development.
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Design and optimization of off‐grid hybrid renewable power plant with storage system for rural area in Rwanda
Researchers designed and optimized an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system for a rural village in Rwanda, combining solar photovoltaic and micro-hydropower generation with battery storage. The system was modeled to meet the village's daily energy demand of 181 kWh, with a peak load of 18.56 kW. The optimized configuration costs $78,763 upfront and delivers electricity at $0.076 per kilowatt-hour, providing a technically feasible and economically viable solution for rural electrification.
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Status and Benefits of Renewable Energy Technologies in the Rural Areas of Ethiopia: A Case Study on Improved Cooking Stoves and Biogas Technologies
Ethiopia's rural population relies heavily on biomass for energy, causing deforestation and health problems. The government has distributed 3.7 million improved cooking stoves and installed over 860 biogas digesters to replace traditional fuels. These technologies conserve forests and provide environmental benefits, but current programs fail to reach the rural households they target. Greater focus on rural distribution is needed to address fuel scarcity, environmental degradation, and health issues.
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Design of an off-grid energy kiosk in rural Zambia
Researchers designed an off-grid solar energy kiosk for rural Zambia that charges mobile phones and rents portable battery kits with LED lights to households. The 1.8 kW photovoltaic system operates on a fee-based retail model, with revenue funding sustainable operation and expansion. Community surveys and simulations informed the technical and business design, ensuring reliability and local appropriateness.
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Framings in Indigenous futures thinking: barriers, opportunities, and innovations
Indigenous peoples bring distinctive perspectives to futures thinking—shaped by colonisation, unique knowledge systems, and commitment to biodiversity—that enable innovative solutions to climate change and social injustice. This paper identifies four framings of Indigenous futures thinking (Adaptation oriented, Participatory, Culturally grounded, and Indigenising) and finds that innovation increases when Indigenous people lead research teams, co-design projects, use Indigenous methodologies, and apply decolonisation approaches. The authors create a glossary to standardise terminology across this emerging field.
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An Overview of Renewable Energy Technologies in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa and the Rural Households’ Energy Poverty Coping Strategies
Rural households in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province face energy poverty despite available renewable energy technologies. This paper reviews renewable energy sources and technologies in the region, then examines how rural households cope with energy poverty. The authors identify which renewable technologies best match rural household needs and propose strategies to address energy poverty through appropriate technology selection.
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Integration of Advanced Metering Infrastructure for Mini-Grid Solar PV Systems in Off-Grid Rural Communities (SoAMIRural)
This paper presents SoAMIRural, a system integrating solar mini-grids with advanced metering infrastructure for rural electrification in Ghana. The authors designed a 24 kVA solar system using load estimation methods and deployed smart metering to monitor consumption. Testing achieved 95% accuracy in tracking energy use, enabling better conservation and system sustainability. The framework supports reliable electricity access and progress toward Ghana's sustainable development goals.
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Analysis of a Hybrid Nuclear Renewable Energy Resource in a Distributed Energy System for a Rural Area in Nigeria
This paper analyzes hybrid energy systems combining nuclear microreactors with renewable sources for rural Nigeria. Using simulation software, the authors tested distributed energy configurations and found that a photovoltaic-nuclear-battery system performed best, followed by photovoltaic-nuclear-wind-battery systems. Nuclear microreactors address renewable energy's intermittency problems while providing stable, clean electricity in decentralized rural settings.
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Assessment of crop residues for off-grid rural electrification options in Ghana
Ghana's rural areas lack electricity access for 28% of the population. This study assessed crop residues as a biomass energy source for off-grid rural electrification. Researchers found 29 million tonnes of surplus crop residues could generate 401 petajoules annually. Gasification and combustion technologies produce electricity at $0.29–$0.34 per kilowatt-hour, exceeding current residential tariffs. Despite higher costs, crop residue-based electricity generation remains viable for rural Ghana with financial support.
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Development and Assessment of Renewable Energy–Integrated Multigeneration System for Rural Communities in Nigeria: Case Study
Researchers designed a renewable energy system for a rural Nigerian community using biogas from agricultural waste to generate electricity and thermal outputs. The system combines three power cycles to produce 970 kW of electricity, meeting the 944 kW demand of Emure-Ekiti community, while also providing cooling, hot water, and greenhouse heating. The system achieved 62.72% energy efficiency and 23.49% exergy efficiency, addressing Nigeria's rural electrification gap where 40% lack electricity access.
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Performance Analysis of Renewable Energy Resources in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Solar Energy
This paper analyzes solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar power systems in rural Tanzania, comparing their costs and energy storage capabilities. The authors examine how ambient temperature affects solar module performance and model how cell surface temperature and module orientation influence power generation. They also evaluate solar axis tracking as a method to increase output. The study focuses on Tanzania's coastal region as a case study for harnessing solar irradiance in rural areas.
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A holistic approach to understanding the acceptance of a community‐based renewable energy project: A pathway to sustainability for Tunisia<i>'</i>s rural region
This study examines why rural communities accept or reject renewable energy projects, using a wind energy case study in Tunisia. Through interviews with multiple stakeholders, the researchers identified specific barriers and motivational factors that determine local acceptance. The findings show that project managers must understand and address these community-level concerns to successfully implement sustainable energy initiatives and achieve lasting behavior change.
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Facilitating greater energy access in rural and remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa: Small hydropower
Small hydropower offers sub-Saharan Africa a viable path to electrify rural and remote areas using abundant untapped water resources. The study identifies major barriers: insufficient funding, weak manufacturing infrastructure, inadequate policies, poor hydrological data, and limited local capacity in design and production. The authors argue that sustainable energy access requires public-private partnerships, domestication of small hydropower technology, and reduced dependence on foreign solutions.
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Descriptive analysis of building indigenous low-carbon innovation capability in Nigeria
Nigeria faces challenges transitioning to low-carbon energy systems while pursuing economic development. The paper argues that building indigenous innovation capability, rather than importing technology from developed countries, is essential for sustainable low-carbon energy. Using survey data from academics and the public, the study recommends government policy-driven models to overcome market failures and develop Nigeria's own low-carbon energy innovation capacity.
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Application of MOPSO to the Optimisation of an Off-Grid Photovoltaic System in a Rural Fruit Farm
Researchers optimized an off-grid solar power system for a 60-acre fruit farm in Egypt using multi-objective algorithms. The study determined the ideal number of solar panels and battery banks to minimize total costs while ensuring reliable power supply. Results show the system's net present cost, cost per kilowatt-hour, and energy surplus levels, enabling profitable renewable energy adoption for agricultural operations.
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Electric Two-Wheeler Vehicle Integration into Rural Off-Grid Photovoltaic System in Kenya
This paper models the integration of electric two-wheeler vehicles into an off-grid solar photovoltaic system serving rural Kenya. Using energy optimization modeling, researchers analyzed a Water-Energy Hub in Western Kenya and found that solar generation exceeds annual demand. They developed a load optimization method that reduces electricity deficits and enables the system to charge four additional e-bike batteries daily, demonstrating how renewable energy can support electric vehicle adoption while reducing emissions in rural areas.
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The potential of performance targets (<i>imihigo</i>) as drivers of energy planning and extending access to off‐grid energy in rural Rwanda
Rwanda's imihigo performance contracts framework can drive rural electrification by increasing household awareness and participation in off-grid energy planning. Survey data from 218 Solar Home System users and focus groups show that village-level energy targets influence household prioritization of energy access. Including off-grid options in imihigo materials and using community meetings for feedback sharing enables private sector providers to target underserved areas and design business models matching local needs.
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Determinants of women's participation in microfinance services: empirical evidence from Rural Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
This study identifies factors that determine whether rural women in Ethiopia use microfinance services. Researchers surveyed 203 women in Dire Dawa, comparing users and non-users. Monthly savings, family size, and land ownership significantly influenced participation decisions. The findings suggest that improving women's access to land and capital assets are essential strategies for expanding microfinance uptake in rural areas.
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Technology Innovation and Digital Journalism Practice by Indigenous African-language Newspapers: The Case of <i>uMthunywa</i> in Zimbabwe
This paper examines how uMthunywa, a Zimbabwean indigenous-language newspaper, adopted digital journalism practices after stopping print production in 2020. The study finds that technological innovation remained limited due to organizational barriers including technophobia, poor capitalization, and staff lacking digital skills. The newspaper selectively adopted new digital practices primarily for survival rather than comprehensive transformation.
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Assessing Opportunities for Solar Lanterns to Improve Educational Outcomes in Off-Grid Rural Areas: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized controlled trial in rural Zambia tested whether solar lanterns improve children's educational outcomes. The study found no relationship between receiving a solar lantern and improved exam performance or study habits. The researchers conclude that solar lanterns are not cost-effective for improving education in developing countries, partly because flashlights already dominate rural lighting and improved energy access alone does not significantly impact learning.
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Evaluation and Selection of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Healthcare Centres In Rural Areas: A Techno-economic Approach
This study develops a framework to select optimal hybrid renewable energy systems for rural healthcare centres by combining technical, economic, and environmental criteria. Using simulation software and multi-criteria analysis, researchers evaluated six communities in Nigeria to identify the most cost-effective renewable energy configurations. The analysis revealed that total net present cost was the most critical factor in system selection, enabling healthcare facilities to achieve reliable clean energy access while minimizing operational expenses.
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Rural Women Subsistence Farmers, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agricultural Research in South Africa
Rural women farmers in South Africa rely on indigenous knowledge systems to sustain agriculture and livelihoods, yet agricultural research and policy systematically marginalize their contributions and exclude them from resource access. The study argues that policymakers and researchers must prioritize understanding how gender and indigenous knowledge shape agricultural sustainability, as current approaches undervalue women's expertise and limit their control over farming resources.
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Microfinance Banks and Rural Development
Microfinance banks launched by Nigeria's Central Bank in 2005 have positively impacted rural development by extending credit and mobilizing deposits, though their full potential remains unrealized. The study found positive regression coefficients across key performance indicators, but effects were not statistically significant. The authors recommend government investment in infrastructure and macroeconomic stability to strengthen microfinance institutions' capacity to support rural enterprises.
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Assessment of Indigenous Knowledge Practices for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria
Rural farmers in Nigeria's Idemili South region possess extensive indigenous knowledge for sustainable agriculture and food security, including practices like mulching, organic manure use, and traditional food preservation. The study identifies major barriers to wider adoption: lack of documentation, time demands, and poor recognition. Recommendations include using ICT infrastructure to document and share indigenous practices, and providing financial incentives to reduce farmers' implementation costs.
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Power to the people: Applying citizen science and computer vision to home mapping for rural energy access
Researchers combined citizen science, satellite imagery, and computer vision to map remote homes in Uganda, Kenya, and Sierra Leone for rural electricity planning. Thousands of volunteers annotated 578,010 homes on the Zooniverse platform, achieving 93% recall. These annotations trained a machine learning model that mapped homes at scale with 67% precision, demonstrating that citizen science and computer vision can rapidly identify where rural populations live to support energy system design.
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Water insecurity, food insecurity and social capital associated with a group-led microfinance programme in semi-rural Kenya
A microfinance programme in semi-rural Kenya reduced water and food insecurity through increased social capital. Higher social capital—measured by group cohesion, trust, and mutual support—directly lowered water insecurity, which in turn reduced food insecurity. The findings suggest that programmes building social connections can address interconnected food and water security challenges in rural low- and middle-income communities.
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Chronic disease stigma, skepticism of the health system, and socio-economic fragility: Qualitative assessment of factors impacting receptiveness to group medical visits and microfinance for non-communicable disease care in rural Kenya
Rural Kenyan communities face three major barriers to non-communicable disease care: chronic disease stigma, distrust of health systems, and economic fragility. This qualitative study of 367 participants—including patients, clinicians, and community health workers—identifies these obstacles but also reveals opportunities for group medical visits and microfinance programs to overcome them. The findings provide actionable insights for implementing NCD care innovations in low-resource settings.
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Borrowers characteristics, credit terms and loan repayment performance among clients of microfinance institutions (MFIs): Evidence from rural Uganda
This study examined how borrower characteristics and credit terms affect loan repayment performance at microfinance institutions in rural Uganda. Researchers surveyed 51 MFIs and found that credit terms significantly predict repayment performance, while borrower characteristics do not. The findings suggest MFI managers should adjust credit terms flexibly to improve repayment rates and reduce poverty in rural areas.
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Smart Village Load Planning Simulations in Support of Digital Energy Management for Off-grid Rural Community Microgrids
Engineers designing renewable energy systems for isolated rural villages lack real demand data to optimize microgrid planning. This paper presents a computer simulation method that generates realistic hourly electricity load profiles for off-grid villages by modeling typical appliances and household behavior patterns. The simulated load data can be exported into energy modeling software to help engineers test smart microgrid designs, economic optimization strategies, and demand response systems before physical installation.
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Towards understanding the influence of rurality on students’ access to and participation in higher education
Rural students in South African higher education face systemic inequalities that limit their access and success. The study reveals that universities fail to recognize or value the experiences, abilities, and knowledge these students bring. Using spatial justice theory, the research demonstrates how historical, social, and spatial factors combine to create barriers. The findings point toward needed policy and practice changes to achieve more equitable higher education participation.
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Renewable Energy Solution for Electricity Access in Rural South Africa
South Africa's rural electrification lags far behind urban areas, limiting economic and social development. This paper designs a renewable energy microgrid for Jozini municipality using solar, wind, biomass, and hydro sources. The proposed system delivers electricity at one-third the cost of the national grid while producing zero carbon emissions, compared to the grid's 0.99 kg CO2 per kilowatt-hour.
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Standalone Integrated Power Electronics System: Applications for Off-Grid Rural Locations
Despite expectations, the number of people without electricity access continues to grow, particularly in rural Africa where nearly 600 million people lack access. This paper presents a standalone integrated power electronics system designed to provide electricity to off-grid rural locations, addressing a critical energy access challenge in developing regions.
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The Impact of Microfinance on Rural Economic Growth: The Nigerian Experience
Microfinance banking in Nigeria from 2000 to 2015 failed to boost agricultural productivity but successfully increased rural savings. The study recommends that government invest in rural infrastructure to attract microfinance institutions, encourage relationship-based lending to farmers, and diversify farm resources to mitigate climate-related risks and improve overall rural economic growth.
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Comparative Analysis of Access, and Preferences of Rural and Urban Households for Cooking Energy, and the Determinants in Nigeria: A Case of Ogun State
This study compared cooking energy use between rural and urban households in Ogun State, Nigeria, surveying 300 households. Rural areas rely heavily on firewood and charcoal, while urban areas use more electricity and gas. Education, household income, distance to energy sources, and fuel prices significantly shape energy choices. The researchers recommend reducing fuel prices and supporting low-income households to adopt cleaner cooking energy sources.
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Prospects for the Uptake of Renewable Energy Technologies in Rural Tanzania
Rural communities in southern Tanzania lack familiarity with renewable energy technologies and perceive them skeptically, viewing them as failed development interventions. The study found that most villagers do not use solar home systems or other renewable technologies. Understanding community perceptions and attitudes is essential before promoting renewable energy adoption in rural African areas, requiring approaches beyond the economic and regulatory models used in developed countries.
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Combined solar heat and power with microgrid storage and layered smartgrid control toward supplying off‐grid rural villages
Researchers in South Africa designed and modeled a solar-powered combined heat and power system for off-grid rural villages. The 3 kW electrical, 12 kW thermal system stores energy in a microgrid to supply power and heat day and night. Smart controls manage distribution to households by monitoring usage patterns and balancing demand across the community.
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From Rural to Microfinance Banking: Contributions of Micro Credits to Nigeria’s Economic Growth – An ARDL Approach
This study examines how microfinance credit affects Nigeria's economic growth from 1982 to 2011. Using econometric analysis, the researchers find a significant long-term relationship between microfinance disbursements and economic growth, with causality flowing from growth to credit rather than the reverse. The study recommends expanding microfinance volume and developing longer-term credit products to strengthen microfinance's contribution to Nigeria's economy.
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Relationship between socio-economic factors and participation in decision making in microfinance scheme among rural farmers in Kano, Nigeria
This study examined how socio-economic factors influence rural farmers' participation in decision-making within microfinance schemes in Kano, Nigeria. Researchers surveyed 364 farmers and found high overall participation levels. Education showed a negative relationship with participation—educated farmers left agriculture for better jobs elsewhere. Farm product type had a weak positive relationship with participation. The authors recommend governments increase microloans and provide targeted support to educated farmers to reduce rural-urban migration and boost agricultural production.
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The Energy Poverty Status of Off-Grid Rural Households: A Case of the Upper Blinkwater Community in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
This study measures energy poverty among off-grid rural households in South Africa's Eastern Cape, analyzing 53 households using expenditure-based poverty metrics. Researchers found that 15% experience severe energy poverty and 22% face moderate vulnerability, despite using diverse energy sources like firewood, paraffin, and generators. Male-headed households, larger families, and those receiving social grants showed different poverty patterns. The findings show energy poverty stems from social, economic, and cultural factors beyond simple lack of electricity access.
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Off-grid households’ preferences for electricity services: Policy implications for mini-grid deployment in rural Tanzania
Mini-grid electricity projects in rural Tanzania face revenue challenges that limit expansion. This study surveyed off-grid households to understand their preferences for electricity services. Households showed diverse preferences linked to gender, income, and energy behaviors. The researchers recommend tiered tariff structures tailored to different customer segments, competition with solar home systems, and targeted support for female-led households to improve mini-grid financial viability and deployment.
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Optimal Design of Hybrid Renewable Energy for Tanzania Rural Communities
Rural communities in Tanzania lack electricity access due to high grid extension costs. This paper designs a hybrid renewable energy system combining solar, wind, and battery storage for Ngw'amkanga village in Shinyanga region. Using optimization methods, the authors determine that a solar-battery system (without wind due to insufficient local wind resources) delivers electricity at 27.18 pence per kilowatt-hour over 25 years—cheaper than Tanzania's grid-connected small power producers.
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Living labs fostering open innovation and rural development: Methodology and results
Rural living labs enable user-driven ICT innovation for economic and social development through open partnerships among stakeholders. The paper presents three case studies from Hungary, South Africa, and Spain, examining how living labs are established, how users participate, and what innovations emerge. Successful approaches include stakeholder platforms, user communities, cyclic innovation processes, and participatory action research—all requiring strong adaptation to local contexts.
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Living labs as instruments for business and social innovation in rural areas
Living labs methodology applied across seven rural European and South African regions successfully supported business and social innovation. A collaborative platform using open service-oriented architecture enabled rural communities to share services and applications. The study demonstrates that living labs accelerated innovation processes and rural development outcomes, with a common methodology supporting launch, operation, experimentation, and monitoring across diverse rural settings.
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Social innovations in rural communities in Africa's Great Lakes region. A social work perspective
Rural communities in Africa's Great Lakes region face poverty, poor infrastructure, and weak services, yet develop innovative local solutions. This study examines two social innovations: Uganda's akabondo household clusters for rural development and Rwanda's umugoroba w'ababyeyi family strengthening program. The authors analyze whether these community-led approaches qualify as social innovations, identify key implementers, assess their impact on rural communities, and discuss challenges they face.
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“Marrying the ‘System of Innovation’ and micro enterprises in real world rural SADC”: an overview of collaborative SMME incubation in the Rural Living Lab of Sekhukhune
This paper examines a rural living lab in Sekhukhune that combines systems of innovation with small and medium enterprise incubation. The authors identify challenges in bridging formal innovation systems with the practical realities of rural small business operators. They advocate for more inclusive, collaborative approaches to rural development that engage real communities in their actual work environments.
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A lightweight mobile e-procurement solution for rural small scale traders implemented using a living lab approach
Researchers developed a lightweight mobile e-procurement application for small-scale retailers in rural South Africa to improve stock replenishment processes. Using a living lab approach, they designed the system to match local mobile capabilities, user literacy levels, and business needs. The application successfully addressed practical challenges faced by rural traders by leveraging existing mobile connectivity and devices for data communication beyond basic voice and SMS.
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A Qualitative Analysis to Determine the Readiness of Rural Communities to Adopt ICTs: A Siyakhula Living Lab Case Study
Researchers assessed ICT readiness in rural South African schools and communities through the Siyakhula Living Lab initiative. Despite practical obstacles, communities demonstrated strong eagerness to adopt ICT and recognized its potential to improve their lives and economies. The assessment supported expansion of Digital Access Nodes—community ICT access points—revealing that educators and residents understood the connection between technology availability and economic and social advancement.
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The Practice and Need for Rural ICT for Development Evaluation: An Experience of the Siyakhula Living Lab Baseline Study
ICT projects in rural areas produce mixed results—some benefit communities while others fail or cause harm. Development organizations must evaluate ICT programs to understand their actual impact on rural development. This paper examines evaluation frameworks and their shortcomings through a baseline study of the Siyakhula Living Lab in South Africa's Eastern Cape, demonstrating practical challenges in assessing ICT project effectiveness and proposing improvements to evaluation approaches.
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Empowering rural women crafters in KwaZulu-Natal: The dynamics of intellectual property, traditional cultural expressions, innovation and social entrepreneurship
Rural women bead-makers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa use collaborative innovation and social entrepreneurship to achieve significant economic empowerment. Although the formal intellectual property system offers limited accessible protections for their traditional cultural expressions, inclusive innovation practices and social entrepreneurship models effectively empower these craftspeople and support their livelihoods.
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Internet of Things innovation in rural water supply in sub-Saharan Africa: a critical assessment of emerging ICT
IoT and digital technologies are transforming rural water supply in sub-Saharan Africa, but their sustainability and integration into existing systems remain under-researched. This paper contextualizes rural water challenges in Tanzania as a complex problem, evaluates emerging ICT and IoT solutions, and argues that practitioners and policymakers must adopt a service delivery approach supported by better data collection and information flows to improve sustainability.
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Better the devil you know? A relational reading of risk and innovation in the rural water sector
A Ugandan NGO developed CBM-lite, an innovation to improve hand pump maintenance in rural water systems by replacing voluntary committees with paid operators and adding microfinance insurance for repairs. Despite addressing real sustainability problems, the innovation faced resistance because stakeholders preferred known risks of system failure over potential threats to established ideology, organizational reputation, and social norms. The study reveals that sector inertia, not technical barriers, explains why communities resist even improvements to community-based water management.
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Digital Green: A Rural Video-Based Social Network for Farmer Training (<i>Innovations Case Narrative:</i> Digital Green)
Digital Green uses locally-produced videos to train farmers in rural South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, leveraging peer learning through visual demonstration. The approach combines video technology with community facilitation and integration into existing agricultural extension systems. Deployed in India, Ghana, and Ethiopia, it enables farmers without reliable internet or electricity to learn improved agricultural and health practices from neighbors' experiences.
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MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER SOURCES FROM THE LARGEST DISTRICT IN GREATER-ACCRA REGION, GHANA: A CALL FOR INNOVATIONAL SCHEMES TOWARDS RURAL WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
This study tested 122 water samples from various sources in Ghana's Dangme West district to assess microbiological contamination. Dams and rivers showed the highest bacterial counts, exceeding safe drinking water standards. Contamination levels differed significantly between rainy and dry seasons. The findings highlight urgent needs for improved rural water management systems and innovative approaches to protect public health in developing country water supplies.
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Women-Led Social Innovation Initiatives Contribute to Gender Equality in Rural Areas: Grounded Theory on Five Initiatives From Three Continents
Women-led social innovation initiatives in rural Canada, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, and Serbia advance gender equality by strengthening women's collective agency. The study identifies three structural features—gendered identity, women's independence, and control over rules—that enable or constrain these initiatives. Key enabling factors include women's self-confidence, peer networks, and capacity building. These initiatives increase economic independence, reduce cultural skepticism about women's roles, and shift political dynamics, demonstrating that women's collective action effectively overcomes structures that marginalize rural women.
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Living lab approaches in rural healthcare: a scoping review
Living labs use user-centered co-design to solve real-world healthcare problems in rural areas. This scoping review examined 11 studies from 2016–2025 across Canada, the USA, Australia, Guatemala, Uganda, and France/Portugal. Studies applied various methodologies including theory-driven frameworks, participatory research, and human-centered design to address cardiovascular disease, diabetes, perinatal care, and other conditions. Most studies did not explicitly use the living lab term, revealing limited adoption of this approach in rural healthcare innovation.
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Bridging Digital Gaps in Rural Teacher Education: Curriculum Innovations for Inclusive and Technology-Driven Pre-Service Training
Curriculum innovations using digital technologies can improve pre-service teacher education in rural universities, but implementation faces barriers including poor infrastructure, low digital literacy, and misalignment between curriculum design and classroom practice. The study finds that online and hybrid learning, active learning strategies, and professional development support digital integration. Effective reform requires embedding digital tools into pedagogy rather than treating them as optional, with programs tailored to rural education needs.
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Local Community Participation in Social Innovation Initiatives for Enhancing the Quality of Life: A Case Study in Rural Egypt
A study of two rural Egyptian villages examined what factors influence community participation in a long-running grassroots social innovation initiative. Researchers surveyed 221 households and found that participation increased with positive attitudes toward the initiative, sense of community, and perceived benefits. Participation decreased when people's needs were already satisfied or when social loafing occurred. Age, mobility, attitude, and community feeling together explained 61% of participation variation.
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A social innovation to empower community-led monitoring and mobilization for HIV prevention in rural Kenya: experimenting to reduce the HIV prevention policy-implementation gap
A social innovation program in rural Kenya combined microfinance, psychological training, and leadership development across 39 villages to reduce HIV stigma and increase prevention uptake. The intervention reached over 10,000 participants and successfully decreased blame and discrimination attitudes, with reduced stigma predicting higher HIV testing rates. Participants formed community committees dedicated to preventing HIV and reducing stigma in their villages, demonstrating how community-led efforts can bridge the gap between HIV prevention policy and actual implementation.
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Social Protection, Agro-Environmental Innovation, And Carbon Sequestration Management as Pathways to Climate-Resilient Development: Empirical Evidence from Rural Kogi State, Nigeria
Rural households in Kogi State, Nigeria that integrated carbon sequestration, agro-environmental innovations, and social protection systems achieved significantly higher climate resilience scores than those using single interventions or none. Only 17% of households achieved full integration, with governance failures, weak extension systems, and exclusion of women as primary barriers. The study proposes the Kogi Integrated Resilience Strategy Model to align local climate adaptation with national policy frameworks.
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Digital technologies in agricultural knowledge management and innovation systems at the rural household level in Northern Ethiopia
This study examines digital technology adoption among 601 smallholder farming households in rural Ethiopia. Mobile phones and radio dominate usage at over 30%, while advanced tools like internet platforms reach under 10%. Male-headed households, better education, proximity to markets and universities, cooperative membership, and electricity access significantly boost adoption. The research shows rural digitalization remains early-stage and recommends strengthening infrastructure, farmer education, extension services, and cooperatives to improve agricultural knowledge sharing and innovation.
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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF RURAL AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF IOT AND DATA INNOVATION
IoT sensors and data-driven tools significantly improved agricultural outcomes for smallholder farmers in rural Nigeria. The study found that smart technologies reduced water use by 21% and fertilizer application by 18% without yield loss. Farmers using digital marketplaces increased net income by 25%, raised sale prices by 12%, and cut post-harvest losses by 15%. The research recommends solar-powered IoT hubs, localized training, and mobile interfaces to support wider adoption.
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CONTRIBUTION OF DIGITAL PLATFORMS IN DISSIMINATION OF INNOVATIONS AMONG RURAL FARMERS IN SOUTHERN TARABA, AGRICULTURAL ZONE, NIGERIA
Digital platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube effectively disseminate agricultural innovations to rural farmers in Nigeria, improving yields and market access. However, poor internet connectivity, high data costs, and unstable electricity severely limit adoption. Younger farmers, smallholders, and full-time farmers adopt these platforms more readily. Strengthening ICT infrastructure and reducing data costs are essential for sustainable digital extension services.
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Rural digital social innovation for health and social care: A systematic review
This systematic review of 25 studies examines how digital technology enables social innovation in rural health and social care. Healthcare innovations typically address geographical distance between providers and patients through collaborative processes, while community initiatives tackle local challenges through grassroots efforts. Most innovations showed positive outcomes on health service use and community health. Digital tools expanded innovation scope and reach, but success required substantial human investment and genuine rural community engagement alongside technology.
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Social innovation in South Africa's rural municipalities: policy implications
Unable to provide summary. The abstract contains no description of the paper's findings or arguments about rural innovation in South Africa's municipalities. Without substantive content in the abstract, the paper's actual contributions cannot be determined.
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Frugal Innovation and Patent Analysis in Sericulture: Lessons for Sustainable Rural Bioeconomy Systems
Patent analysis of silk-reeling technologies from 2000–2024 reveals that most innovations emphasize energy-intensive industrial methods unsuitable for low-resource rural contexts in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The study evaluated 212 patents against criteria including resource efficiency, accessibility, and social inclusion, finding that current designs marginalize traditional producers—mostly women and smallholders—from emerging bio-based value chains. The authors argue for resource-efficient, modular, socially inclusive innovations to support rural sericulture within circular bioeconomy systems.
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Impact of Digital Innovation on Rural Development and Inclusive Urbanization in Baringo County
Digital innovation significantly influences rural development and inclusive urbanization in Baringo County, Kenya. The study surveyed 44 county assembly members and found that digital innovation statistically impacts rural development outcomes. The research recommends adopting digital innovation to address urbanization challenges sustainably and implementing digital literacy programs for youth and adults to enable participation in a digital economy.
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Effect of Digital Innovation on Rural Development and Inclusive Urbanization in Baringo County
Digital innovation significantly influences rural development and inclusive urbanization in Baringo County, Kenya. The study surveyed 44 county assembly members and found that digital innovation has a statistically significant effect on rural development outcomes. The research recommends adopting digital innovation as a tool for achieving sustainable development goals and implementing comprehensive digital literacy programs for youth and adults to enable participation in a digital economy.
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Integrating Digital Innovation and Sustainability to Build Resilient NGOs and NPOs in Global Rural Contexts: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Digital innovation and sustainability frameworks together strengthen NGOs and NPOs in rural areas by improving operational efficiency, transparency, and organizational resilience. The study across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America shows that digital tools like blockchain and cloud systems, combined with sustainability goals, enhance governance and community trust. However, digital illiteracy, infrastructure gaps, and data privacy concerns remain significant barriers that require culturally adapted solutions.
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WhatsApp innovation that improved reporting rates: A low-cost digital approach to strengthen health reporting in rural Uganda
A WhatsApp-based reporting system in rural Uganda increased health surveillance reporting rates from 33% to 89% within three months. Health workers submitted weekly epidemiological reports through a WhatsApp group when network failures disrupted the national mTrac system, with a district coordinator consolidating submissions once connectivity returned. The innovation improved data timeliness, completeness, and worker accountability while requiring minimal cost, demonstrating how simple digital tools can strengthen health information systems in resource-limited rural settings.
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Internet of Things innovation in rural water supply in sub-Saharan Africa: a critical assessment of emerging ICT
IoT and ICT technologies are emerging in rural water supply across sub-Saharan Africa, but their sustainability and integration into existing systems remain poorly understood. This paper frames rural water supply as a complex problem, assesses specific challenges in Tanzania through expert interviews, and evaluates existing IoT innovations. The authors argue that moving toward a service delivery approach—supported by better data collection and integrated information systems—can improve sustainability and outcomes for rural communities.
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New cash cropping in the Black Volta river valley: Banana production, rural innovation, and social entrepreneurship in the <scp>Ghana–Burkina</scp> Faso border region
A banana irrigation farming innovation that began in Burkina Faso spread to Ghana's Black Volta river valley in the 1990s, driven by returning emigrants and local university lecturers. The paper shows that local entrepreneurs, not foreign corporations, drove this agricultural intensification through imported banana varieties, entrepreneurial effort, and cross-border trade networks strengthened by regional highway infrastructure connecting farms to urban markets.
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Revitalising Rural and Township Youth Ministry in South Africa through Digital Innovation
Digital innovation can revitalize youth ministry in rural and township South Africa by combining physical and virtual engagement through hybrid platforms. The study proposes integrating digital tools with public theology to connect churches with digitally native youth while addressing rural connectivity challenges through community access points and partnerships. A game-like platform blending physical and virtual interactions offers a practical model for fostering spiritual growth and community impact.
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Innovating Pedagogy 2020: Open University Innovation Report 8
This report identifies ten pedagogical innovations with potential to transform educational practice. Researchers from the Open University in the UK and University of Cape Town in South Africa reviewed published studies and expert input to select innovations in teaching, learning, and assessment designed for interactive learning environments. The report aims to guide teachers and policymakers in adopting productive educational innovations.
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Innovation performance: The effect of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities in cross-country innovation ecosystems
Knowledge-based dynamic capabilities drive innovation performance across different economies. The study identifies four key capabilities: knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, knowledge absorption, and knowledge impact. Knowledge creation is the strongest driver of innovation performance in developed and developing economies, while knowledge absorption matters most in transition economies. The research proposes a framework showing how these capabilities create competitive advantage within innovation ecosystems.
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Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems: From Systematic Literature Review to Conceptual Framework
This systematic literature review identifies key components of digital health innovation ecosystems by synthesizing research on digital health, innovation, and digital ecosystems. The authors develop a conceptual framework and comprehensive definition for digital health innovation ecosystems, drawing from academic databases and practitioner case reports. The framework aims to establish common understanding among healthcare professionals, practitioners, and academics working in digital health innovation.
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Digital entrepreneurship: The role of entrepreneurial orientation and digitalization for disruptive innovation
Entrepreneurial orientation significantly boosts firms' ability to develop disruptive innovation. However, digitalization strategy works differently depending on a firm's entrepreneurial orientation: it hinders disruptive innovation in highly entrepreneurial firms but supports it in less entrepreneurial ones. Firms should calibrate their digitalization investments based on their entrepreneurial orientation level to maximize disruptive innovation.
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Innovation, diffusion and adoption of total quality management (TQM)
This paper examines whether Total Quality Management (TQM) remains a viable management philosophy or has become a passing fad. Through literature review, the authors trace TQM's innovation, diffusion, and adoption across organizations globally. They find that despite declining media coverage, TQM continues gaining academic attention and organizational adoption worldwide. The authors argue TQM remains relevant but warn against treating it as a generic technique—organizations must adapt it to their specific cultural contexts, leadership styles, and employee needs to prevent it from becoming a fad.
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Perceptions toward Artificial Intelligence among Academic Library Employees and Alignment with the Diffusion of Innovations’ Adopter Categories
This study surveyed academic librarians about their perceptions of artificial intelligence and how they adopt new technologies. Researchers matched librarians' adoption patterns to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations model categories—innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The findings show how librarians' self-identified adoption categories relate to their knowledge and attitudes toward AI in library settings, offering insights for managing technology adoption among library staff.
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Organizational learning ambidexterity and openness, as determinants of SMEs' innovation performance
Small and medium enterprises in Ghana achieve stronger innovation performance by combining both exploitative and exploratory learning strategies simultaneously—a practice called organizational learning ambidexterity—rather than relying on either approach alone. Openness to external knowledge further strengthens this effect. SME managers should adopt both learning strategies together to gain competitive advantage.
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Investigating factors of students' behavioral intentions to adopt chatbot technologies in higher education: Perspective from expanded diffusion theory of innovation
This study examines what drives undergraduate students to adopt chatbots for learning. Using diffusion of innovation theory, researchers surveyed 842 students and found that perceived benefits, compatibility with student needs, and opportunities to try chatbots all increase adoption intention. Trust in the technology also matters. Surprisingly, ease of use did not directly influence adoption, suggesting other factors shape students' decisions to use AI tools in education.
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Financial Inclusion, Technological Innovations, and Environmental Quality: Analyzing the Role of Green Openness
Financial inclusion in BRICS countries increases CO2 emissions and environmental degradation, but technological innovation and green openness reduce emissions. Economic growth and energy consumption also drive environmental harm. The study finds that financial inclusion, technological innovation, and green openness influence each other and collectively affect emissions. BRICS nations should combine financial inclusion with environmental policies while promoting green technology and openness to meet climate goals.
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Central Banks Digital Currency: Detection of Optimal Countries for the Implementation of a CBDC and the Implication for Payment Industry Open Innovation
This paper identifies which countries are best positioned to implement Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) by analyzing correlations with pioneer nations like the Bahamas, China, and Uruguay. Using statistical methods, the authors find that Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland in Europe; Brazil and Uruguay in South America; Malaysia in Asia; and South Africa in Africa show the strongest alignment with successful CBDC implementation conditions.
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A Firm‐Level Analysis on the Relative Difference between Technology‐Driven and Market‐Driven Disruptive Business Model Innovations
This study compares how technology-driven and market-driven innovations disrupt markets by analyzing four firms over 5–15 years. Technology-driven innovations follow predicted disruption patterns, while market-driven innovations hit a bottleneck where initial strategic choices and costs limit further disruption potential. The findings show that market-driven innovations face constraints that technology-driven ones do not.
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Dynamic ARDL Simulations Effects of Fiscal Decentralization, Green Technological Innovation, Trade Openness, and Institutional Quality on Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from South Africa
This study examines how fiscal decentralization, green technological innovation, trade openness, and institutional quality affect carbon emissions in South Africa from 1960 to 2020. Fiscal decentralization, green innovation, and institutional quality reduce emissions in both short and long term. Trade openness worsens environmental quality long-term. Population and energy consumption increase emissions. The findings support an environmental Kuznets curve and suggest that clear government responsibility allocation across governance tiers is essential for achieving low-carbon objectives.
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Enhancing innovation in livestock value chains through networks: Lessons from fodder innovation case studies in developing countries
Fodder scarcity limits smallholder livestock farmers in developing countries. This paper examines how fodder technologies spread through farmer networks in Ethiopia, Syria, and Vietnam. Fodder innovation succeeds when integrated with other innovations and market activities, and when farmers organize collectively to access markets. The authors argue that combining innovation systems and value chain approaches strengthens smallholder productivity and market outcomes.
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How entrepreneurship ecosystem influences the development of frugal innovation and informal entrepreneurship
This study examines how entrepreneurial ecosystems shape frugal innovation and informal business development in Nigeria. Through interviews with 20 business owners and focus groups with association leaders, the researchers identified key determinants: formal and informal rules, market access, and family networks. These elements enable knowledge sharing, networking, and resource distribution among informal entrepreneurs operating under institutional constraints.
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Evolution of strategic interactions from the triple to quad helix innovation models for sustainable development in the era of globalization
The paper argues that sustainable economic development requires strategic interaction between government, universities, and industry—the triple helix model. As globalization and the service sector expanded, civil society emerged as a necessary fourth actor, creating the quad helix model. The author contends that developing and middle-income countries must adopt global best practices in science park creation within this quad helix framework to strengthen technological innovation and build competitive economic capacity.
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Effect of acetylation and succinylation on solubility profile, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and emulsifying properties of mucuna bean (<i>Mucuna pruriens</i>) protein concentrate
Researchers modified mucuna bean protein concentrate through acetylation and succinylation to improve its functional properties. Modified proteins showed better solubility, water absorption, and emulsifying capacity compared to unmodified protein, with succinylated versions performing best. These chemical modifications make mucuna protein more suitable for food applications across varying pH and salt conditions.
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Variety of national innovation systems (NIS) and alternative pathways to growth beyond the middle-income stage: Balanced, imbalanced, catching-up, and trapped NIS
This study analyzes national innovation systems across 32–35 economies using patent data to identify pathways for growth beyond middle-income status. The research identifies five distinct innovation system clusters and confirms two successful catching-up pathways: balanced systems (Ireland, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore) and imbalanced systems (Korea, Taiwan, China). Other economies remain trapped in middle-income status due to opposite characteristics in technology cycle time, originality, localization, and diversification.
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The Adoption of ISO 9000 Standards within the Egyptian Context: A Diffusion of Innovation Approach
This study examines why Egyptian manufacturing companies adopt ISO 9000 quality standards. The researchers surveyed 239 firms and found that three factors drive adoption: how companies perceive the standards' advantages and complexity, external pressures like competition and regulatory demands, and internal organizational features such as management support and company size. All three factor groups significantly influence whether firms implement these standards.
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Understanding the diffusion and adoption of digital finance innovation in emerging economies: M-Pesa money mobile transfer service in Kenya
M-Pesa's rapid adoption in Kenya demonstrates how digital financial innovations succeed in emerging economies. The study applies technological innovation systems theory to explain M-Pesa's growth, finding that local adaptation, coordination, learning, and localized capabilities drive diffusion. The research reveals that standard innovation frameworks miss critical factors specific to emerging markets, and recommends policies to stimulate digital financial innovation across Africa.
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Political Entrepreneurialism: Reflections of a Civil Servant on the Role of Political Institutions in Technology Innovation and Diffusion in Kenya
Kenya's ICT sector achieved global prominence through political institutions that tolerated risk and partnered with private companies. A senior civil servant applied leadership theory to drive innovation and technology diffusion across education, health, agriculture, and financial services. The paper explains why Kenya outpaced neighboring countries and identifies political stability and corruption control as critical to sustaining this success.
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Absorptive capacity, marketing capabilities, and innovation commercialisation in Nigeria
Nigerian manufacturing and service firms that invest in absorptive capacity—through openness to external knowledge and formal training—and develop marketing capabilities for new products commercialize innovations more successfully. The study reveals that learning capacity and marketing skills directly drive innovation performance, suggesting government policies should support both knowledge absorption and marketing innovation to help firms capture value from their innovations.
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Using Diffusion of Innovations Framework to Explain Communal Computing Facilities Adoption Among the Urban Poor
This study applies Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory to explain why urban poor communities in Cape Town, South Africa adopt communal computing facilities like telecenters. The researchers analyzed existing data and found that all five perceived attributes of innovation—relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability—influence adoption decisions. The framework successfully explains adoption patterns and reveals consequences for both users and host institutions.
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Effect of network embeddedness on innovation performance of small and medium-sized enterprises
Network embeddedness significantly boosts innovation performance in small and medium-sized enterprises. SMEs that combine strong network connections with openness to innovation achieve substantially better innovation outcomes than those relying on networks alone. The study of 388 Ghanaian SMEs shows that organizational structures emphasizing trust and collaborative openness enable effective knowledge transfer and innovation.
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Importance of innovation and flexibility in configuring supply network sustainability
This study examines how organizational culture, green supplier development, supplier relationships, flexibility, and innovation affect supply network sustainability in South African manufacturing firms. The research finds that organizational culture strengthens supplier relationships and drives innovation and flexibility. Institutional pressures from government regulations amplify the link between innovation and sustainable supply networks, particularly when firms adopt eco-friendly practices and collaborate with specialist suppliers.
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Effect of entrepreneurial orientation on radical innovation performance among manufacturing SMEs: the mediating role of absorptive capacity
Manufacturing SMEs in Ghana that combine entrepreneurial orientation with strong absorptive capacity—the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge—achieve significantly better radical innovation performance. The study shows that both potential absorptive capacity (acquiring knowledge) and realized absorptive capacity (applying knowledge) mediate this relationship, with balance between the two capacities producing the strongest innovation outcomes.
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How ability, motivation and opportunity influence travel agents performance: the moderating role of absorptive capacity
This study examines how travel agents' manager competencies—ability, motivation, and opportunity-seeking—influence knowledge transfer and employee performance in Egypt. The research finds that all three competencies positively affect knowledge received by employees, with absorptive capacity moderating these relationships. Employees with greater absorptive capacity better convert received knowledge into improved travel agent performance, suggesting that developing employee capacity to absorb and apply external knowledge strengthens organizational competitiveness.
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Resource constrained innovation in a technology intensive sector: Frugal medical devices from manufacturing firms in South Africa
South African manufacturing firms develop frugal medical devices by building advanced internal capabilities and forging knowledge collaborations to overcome resource constraints and institutional gaps. These firms design affordable, functional devices through bottom-up collaborative processes that address local health challenges while reducing costs in design, engineering, and manufacturing. State support and global non-profits play critical roles in scaling these innovations for public health impact.
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The Adoption of Automatic Teller Machines in Nigeria: An Application of the Theory of Diffusion of Innovation
This paper applies diffusion of innovation theory to examine how automatic teller machines were adopted across Nigeria. The study analyzes the factors and patterns influencing ATM adoption in the Nigerian banking sector, using established innovation diffusion frameworks to understand technology uptake in a developing country context.
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Living Labs as Open Innovation Networks - Networks, Roles and Innovation Outcomes
Living labs organize innovation by bringing together users and stakeholders in real-life environments to address socio-economic and technological challenges. This study identifies seven stakeholder roles and four role patterns in living labs, showing that successful collaboration and innovation outcomes occur without strict management objectives. Network structures—centralized, decentralized, and distributed—support different innovation types. The research provides frameworks for managers to understand and develop open innovation networks.
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Disruptive technological innovations in construction field and fourth industrial revolution intervention in the achievement of the sustainable development goal 9
This study examines how disruptive technologies and fourth industrial revolution innovations can help the construction industry achieve sustainable development goals. Researchers surveyed 50 construction professionals about awareness, barriers, and success factors for adopting disruptive technologies. The findings show that disruptive innovation is essential for technological progress in construction and propose deployment strategies for sustainable building practices aligned with development objectives.
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The effect of enterprise social networks use on exploitative and exploratory innovations
Enterprise social networks boost both exploitative and exploratory innovation in Tunisian ICT firms, but through different mechanisms. Human capital mediates the link to exploitative innovation, while human and social capital together mediate the link to exploratory innovation. The study reveals how internal social networks strengthen intellectual capital dimensions that drive different innovation types.
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Higher education institutions, private sector and government collaboration for innovation within the framework of the Triple Helix Model
This research examines collaboration between universities, industry, and government under the Triple Helix Model for innovation. The study identifies weaknesses in existing partnerships and proposes a new framework to strengthen these relationships. Key recommendations include clarifying government's role, improving research commercialization, and ensuring network actors possess adequate knowledge to adapt the model to changing needs.
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Responsible Leadership Competencies in leaders around the world: Assessing stakeholder engagement, ethics and values, systems thinking and innovation competencies in leaders around the world
This study assesses responsible leadership competencies across 9,566 participants in 122 countries, measuring stakeholder engagement, ethics, systems thinking, and innovation. Self-awareness emerges as central to responsible leadership. Higher education correlates with better performance, and African region participants outperform others. Surprisingly, sustainability affinity doesn't improve scores, and executives show no improvement after leadership courses, while undergraduate students do.
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The diffusion of innovations theory as a theoretical framework in Library and Information Science research
Kenyan agricultural research and extension organizations adopted diverse ICT tools—both digital and traditional—to improve information sharing among researchers, extension workers, and farmers. While these technologies addressed various communication needs, their expansion faced significant constraints requiring coordinated intervention from agricultural and ICT stakeholders and government support.
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Strategic green marketing orientation and environmental sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa: Does green absorptive capacity moderate? Evidence from Tanzania
Manufacturing enterprises in Tanzania that adopt strategic green marketing orientation significantly improve their environmental sustainability practices. The study finds that green absorptive capacity—the ability to recognize and apply environmental knowledge—strengthens this relationship. These findings demonstrate that integrating environmental considerations into business strategy and building capacity to absorb green innovations drives measurable sustainability improvements in manufacturing.
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Potential and Pitfalls of Frugal Innovation in the Water Sector: Insights from Tanzania to Global Value Chains
Frugal innovations—affordable, stripped-down solutions—offer promise for addressing water challenges in developing regions like Tanzania. However, the study finds significant pitfalls: these innovations struggle to scale and lack institutional support. Water's critical role across natural and human systems, combined with complex global supply chains, creates barriers to sustainability impact. Success requires understanding entire value chains and their water dependencies.
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Analysing the diffusion and adoption of renewable energy technologies in Africa: The functions of innovation systems perspective
Renewable energy technologies remain poorly adopted across Africa despite their potential to address energy poverty and environmental challenges. This paper argues that previous research focused too narrowly on user-level factors and neglected institutional context. The author proposes using the Technological Innovation System framework to understand how institutions enable or hinder renewable energy diffusion, and provides a framework for evaluating institutional performance to guide African policymakers.
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National innovation systems in developing countries: Barriers to university–industry collaboration in Egypt
This study examines Egypt's national innovation system and identifies barriers and drivers to university-industry collaboration. Researchers surveyed 162 companies in industrial areas and free zones around Cairo and Alexandria, testing four hypotheses about what prevents or enables partnerships between universities and businesses. The analysis confirmed all four hypotheses, revealing specific obstacles and facilitators to collaboration in Egypt's innovation ecosystem.
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How does gender affect the adoption of agricultural innovations?
Men and women in Ghana adopt modern maize varieties and chemical fertilizer at different rates because women have less access to complementary inputs like land, labor, and extension services. The research shows that closing the adoption gap does not require changing agricultural research systems, but rather improving women's access to these critical resources through targeted policy measures.
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Agricultural Productivity and Poverty Alleviation: What Role for Technological Innovation
Agricultural productivity significantly reduces poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, with technological innovation playing a crucial role. The study analyzed 32 SSA countries from 1990-2011 and found that technological innovation directly lowers poverty and indirectly reduces it by boosting agricultural productivity and broader economic growth. Agriculture's poverty-reduction impact depends on sector growth, poor people's participation, and agriculture's economic share.
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What Does an Inventory of Recent Innovation Experiences Tell Us About Agricultural Innovation in Africa?
An inventory of 57 agricultural innovation cases across Benin, Kenya, and South Africa reveals that African smallholder farmers actively drive innovation through diverse stakeholders and market forces. Innovation processes typically unfold over long timeframes, often bundle multiple changes together, and frequently connect to external funding. The research demonstrates African agriculture's dynamic response to challenges, countering negative perceptions and highlighting the continent's innovation capacity.
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Bridging the digital divide: exploring the challenges and solutions for digital exclusion in rural South Africa
Digital exclusion in rural South Africa severely limits access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. This study surveyed 200 residents in Mkatazo village, finding that over half lack internet access, 38.5% cannot afford connectivity, and two-thirds lack digital skills. Cost, infrastructure gaps, and geographic isolation drive exclusion most strongly. The authors recommend expanding broadband infrastructure, subsidizing devices, zero-rating mobile data, building digital literacy, and deploying offline AI tools to bridge the divide.
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Social Preferences and Agricultural Innovation: An Experimental Case Study from Ethiopia
An experiment in Ethiopia shows that farmers who burn money to reduce others' earnings display strong inequality aversion based on absolute income differences. Villages where farmers engage in more money burning adopt fewer agricultural innovations in practice. This demonstrates that social preferences—particularly concerns about fairness and relative wealth—significantly influence whether farmers adopt new agricultural technologies in developing countries.
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Farmers’ organizations and agricultural innovation: case studies from Benin, Rwanda and Tanzania
Farmers' organizations in Benin, Rwanda, and Tanzania play a central role in agricultural innovation, but face significant constraints. The research shows that successful innovation requires farmers' organizations to access diverse knowledge sources, develop specific skills, and partner with other actors who recognize them as equals. Appropriate institutional settings and multi-stakeholder collaboration are essential for agricultural innovation to succeed.
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Empowerment of rural young people in informal farm entrepreneurship: the role of corporate social responsibility in Nigeria’s oil producing communities
Corporate social responsibility programs by oil companies in Nigeria's Niger Delta region have mixed effects on rural youth farm entrepreneurship. While the global memorandum of understanding model significantly boosts informal farm entrepreneurship overall, it underperforms in targeted agricultural clusters. The study of 800 rural young people shows that youth-specific CSR farm projects can help close knowledge gaps and improve yields, but coordinated business investment is needed to create real agricultural competitiveness and food security.
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Adoption and Dis-Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture: A Case of Farmers’ Innovations and Integrated Fruit Fly Management in Kenya
Kenyan mango farmers face severe losses from invasive fruit flies and rely heavily on pesticides despite knowing integrated pest management alternatives. The study finds that farmer adoption of sustainable IPM practices increases with education, orchard size, extension contact, and prior use of indigenous methods. Dis-adoption occurs when orchards shrink or farmers abandon non-pesticide practices. Better training and extension services can boost sustainable pest management uptake.
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Shifting from Fragmentation to Integration: A Proposed Framework for Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System in Egypt
Agricultural knowledge and innovation systems in Egypt's Dakhalia governorate suffer from fragmentation caused by weak regulatory frameworks, poor infrastructure, and ineffective intermediary organizations. The study proposes a framework to strengthen these systems by improving actor linkages, fostering public-private partnerships, and distributing appropriate technologies. Better coordination between farmers, researchers, and support organizations can boost agricultural productivity and sustainability.
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Multi-stakeholder process strengthens agricultural innovations and sustainable livelihoods of farmers in Southern Nigeria
Multi-stakeholder platforms in Southern Nigeria significantly boost farmers' livelihood assets compared to non-participants, with human and social capital increasing substantially. The study shows that institutionalizing these platforms within agricultural research programs, combined with extension services, strengthens cassava production efficiency and enables effective technology adoption. Knowledge dynamics and power relationships within platforms drive innovation outcomes.
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Anchoring innovation methodologies to ‘go-to-scale’; a framework to guide agricultural research for development
Research for development projects use innovation platforms to solve agricultural problems, but scaling these approaches to new contexts remains unclear. This paper develops a framework for anchoring innovation methodologies across networking, institutional, and methodological dimensions. Testing the framework on a farmer research group in Ethiopia, the authors identify which anchoring tasks succeeded or failed and provide concrete recommendations for R4D projects seeking to scale their innovations effectively across different contexts.
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An institutional diagnostics of agricultural innovation; public-private partnerships and smallholder production in Uganda
This paper develops a diagnostic framework for analyzing public-private partnerships in agricultural innovation, using institutions as performative processes rather than fixed rules, and technology as affordance rather than input. The authors test this framework on a Uganda sorghum production partnership between the National Agricultural Research Organisation and Nile Breweries Limited, revealing institutional dynamics critical for understanding smallholder farming innovation in Africa.
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Effect of Climate Smart Agriculture Innovations on Climate Resilience among Smallholder Farmers: Empirical Evidence from the Choke Mountain Watershed of the Blue Nile Highlands of Ethiopia
Climate-smart agriculture innovations significantly strengthen smallholder farmers' ability to withstand climate change impacts in Ethiopia's Blue Nile Highlands. Using data from 424 farmers, the study found that improved crop varieties, crop residue management, and soil-water conservation increase climate resilience capacity, though effects vary by innovation type. Success requires complementary systems including early warning networks, extension services, safety nets, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
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Research and innovation in agricultural water management for a water‐secure world
Agricultural water management requires transformative innovation to sustain food systems under climate change and water scarcity. New technologies optimize irrigation and water productivity, but innovations often fail to address equity and access gaps, particularly in the global South. The paper argues that transdisciplinary approaches integrating water-energy-food nexus thinking enable innovations that account for local constraints and governance, making solutions more relevant and scalable.
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Do agricultural innovation platforms and soil moisture and nutrient monitoring tools improve the production and livelihood of smallholder irrigators in Mozambique?
A four-year project in Mozambique introduced agricultural innovation platforms and soil monitoring tools to smallholder irrigators. Farmers used these tools to improve irrigation and fertilizer management, increasing crop production. The innovation platforms strengthened market links and information access, boosting farmer incomes and well-being while addressing supply chain and infrastructure barriers.
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Innovations in smallholder agricultural financing and economic efficiency of maize production in Ghana’s northern region
Maize farmers in northern Ghana who use innovative financing methods achieve 4-10% higher economic efficiency than non-users. The study finds that mechanized services unexpectedly reduced technical efficiency. Policymakers should prioritize reducing inefficiency through extension services, timely equipment access, and market linkages rather than introducing new technologies. Village Savings and Loans Associations and informal financing options help poor farmers access credit and inputs.
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Markets, institutions and policies: A perspective on the adoption of agricultural innovations
Agricultural innovation adoption succeeds when technology combines with supportive markets, institutions, and policies. Case studies show hybrid pearl millet in India and dual-purpose cowpea in Nigeria achieved high adoption through strong market demand and effective seed delivery institutions. Conversely, pigeon pea varieties in Malawi and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe saw low adoption due to weak market conditions, misunderstood demand, and inadequate input delivery systems. Enabling conditions fundamentally determine innovation success.
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Entrepreneurship in rural tourism: the challenges of South Africa's Wild Coast
Rural tourism enterprises on South Africa's Wild Coast are dominated by marginal entrepreneurs operating informally at subsistence levels. The paper argues these struggling small businesses need urgent policy support from national, provincial, and local governments to improve livelihoods and upgrade their operations.
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Women entrepreneurship development and sustainable rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe
Women entrepreneurs in rural Zimbabwe face multiple barriers to sustainable livelihoods, including inadequate government support, patriarchal social structures, insufficient business knowledge, limited access to credit, and time constraints balancing family and work. The study identifies that successful women entrepreneurship depends on financial, environmental, psychological, and sociological factors. Recommendations include entrepreneurship training, supportive government policies, and network access.
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Research capacity for local innovation: the case of conservation agriculture in Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique
Agricultural researchers in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Mozambique lack the institutional capacity to adapt conservation agriculture to local contexts. While researchers identified specific gaps preventing CA adoption, financial, human, and social constraints within their systems prevent participatory research needed to customize farming practices for farmers. CA remains a donor-driven intervention unsuited to local conditions.
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Rural entrepreneurship and the context: navigating contextual barriers through women's groups
Rural women in Tanzania face significant barriers to entrepreneurship including limited land access, poor market connections, weak business networks, time poverty, and insufficient capital. Women's groups overcome these obstacles by collectively accessing business services, training, grants, and networks. The study demonstrates that women with limited education can successfully pursue rural entrepreneurship when supported through group membership and targeted interventions.
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Gender and agricultural innovation in Oromia region, Ethiopia: from innovator to tempered radical
Women and men farmer innovators in Ethiopia's Oromia region actively challenge restrictive gender norms and top-down extension systems while pursuing agricultural innovation. Women innovators face particular constraints, operating as precarious outsiders who carefully negotiate between social expectations and sanctions. The study uses the concept of 'tempered radicals' to explain how innovators contest dominant narratives while advancing their own farming practices, revealing significant gender differences in how they navigate competing pressures.
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Information and Communication for Rural Innovation and Development: Context, Quality and Priorities in Southeast Uganda
Rural communities in southeast Uganda access agricultural information from multiple sources, but reliability and applicability vary significantly based on trust relationships. Farmers lack capacity to hold information providers accountable for quality. Weak linkages exist among farmers, extension services, private sector, and local leaders. The study recommends establishing feedback loops and partnerships among actors to improve information generation and dissemination for agricultural innovation and rural development.
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Bridging the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: The rural challenge in Uganda
A 2002-2003 study in Uganda identified three key groups addressing the digital divide: information workers, business entrepreneurs, and policy makers. The research found that information workers and institutions like the National Library play a crucial role in bridging digital access gaps in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. The study used qualitative interviews and grounded theory analysis to understand strategies for connecting underserved populations to digital resources.
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Crossing the "digital divide:" implementing an electronic medical record system in a rural Kenyan health center to support clinical care and research.
Researchers implemented the first documented electronic medical record system in ambulatory care in sub-Saharan Africa at a rural Kenyan health center. After one year, the system captured data for over 13,000 patients and 26,000 visits. The paper describes implementation lessons and modifications that improved data capture and enabled the center to support clinical care and research while managing limited resources.
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Actor roles and linkages in the agricultural innovation system: options for establishing a cocoa innovation platform in Ghana
Ghana's cocoa sector needs an innovation platform to boost performance. Researchers analyzed actor roles and relationships in the cocoa innovation system using social network analysis. They found that farmer groups, researchers, extension agents, policymakers, and private sector actors are critical to establishing and sustaining a cocoa innovation platform. These actors attract participation and hold the network together.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: Community Radio's Potential for Extending Information and Communication Technology Benefits to Poor Rural Communities in South Africa
Community radio stations in rural South Africa are popular, accessible, and affordable channels trusted by their communities. However, they lack sufficient human and material resources to effectively deliver information and communication technology benefits to residents. The study examined ten stations and recommends strategies to better develop their ICT potential for bridging the digital divide.
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Guidance on farmer participation in the design, testing and scaling of agricultural innovations
Smallholder farmers in the Global South adopt agricultural innovations at low rates because technologies are often unsuitable and poorly designed for local contexts. This paper develops practical guidance for choosing appropriate levels of farmer participation in innovation design, testing, and scaling. The authors reviewed participatory research literature and analyzed vegetable innovation projects across Asia and Africa, creating a framework that matches farmer participation levels to innovation readiness. They find that participation should increase as innovations mature, and early farmer consultation strengthens locally relevant design.
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Rural Agriculture and Poverty Trap: Can Climate-Smart Innovations Provide Breakeven Solutions to Smallholder Farmers?
Climate-smart agriculture adoption by smallholder farmers in Ghana's Upper West and Upper East regions did not significantly improve food security or income. While climate change severely damages agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods, CSA practices alone cannot break the poverty trap without complementary support. Farmers need better infrastructure, inputs, and market access to realize CSA's potential benefits.
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Promoting uptake and integration of climate smart agriculture technologies, innovations and management practices into policy and practice in Nigeria
Nigerian farmers face major barriers to adopting climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices, including lack of government policies, poor farmer awareness, and weak extension services. The study identifies insufficient funding, policy inconsistencies, and farmer resistance as key obstacles. Researchers recommend targeted awareness campaigns through local media, dedicated CSA departments in each state, increased agricultural budget allocation to 10%, and strengthened links between researchers, extension agents, and farmers.
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An Open IoT Platform to Promote Eco‐Sustainable Innovation in Western Africa: Real Urban and Rural Testbeds
The paper presents an open IoT platform deployed across rural Senegal and Ghana and urban Togo to address environmental challenges in Western Africa. The full-stack framework reduces energy consumption and emissions while meeting the region's specific environmental, economic, and social needs. Three real testbeds demonstrate how IoT technology can support sustainable development in African contexts.
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Rural entrepreneurship in the Western Cape: Challenges and opportunities
Rural entrepreneurs in South Africa's Western Cape face significant barriers including inadequate business skills, expensive raw materials, poor infrastructure, and limited financing. However, opportunities exist through government land reform initiatives, small business support institutions, and entrepreneur networks. The study recommends comprehensive government policies to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and development.
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Can convergence of agricultural sciences support innovation by resource-poor farmers in Africa? The cases of Benin and Ghana
A research program in Benin and Ghana found that developing appropriate farm technologies alone cannot help resource-poor farmers innovate. The real barriers are institutional: limited market access, poor infrastructure, lack of credit, cheap imports, and political exclusion. The researchers concluded that poverty reduction requires institutional change, not just better farming techniques. The program documents various attempts to address these deeper structural problems.
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Assessing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and agricultural innovation systems in the Niger Delta
This study evaluates climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for agriculture in Nigeria's Niger Delta region by analyzing 129 previous studies and surveying 282 extension agents. The researchers developed a method to assess how innovative these strategies are for building sustainable agricultural innovation systems. They found that many recommended strategies face adoption barriers and don't effectively support regional agricultural innovation systems. The work explains why farmers reject most climate strategies and proposes a new scoring approach for agricultural innovations.
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Citizen Science as Democratic Innovation That Renews Environmental Monitoring and Assessment for the Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Areas
Citizen science offers a democratic approach to environmental monitoring that strengthens the legitimacy of data used for sustainable development in rural areas. Traditional environmental monitoring fails to adequately support local implementation of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. By incorporating citizen science into environmental assessment, rural communities can produce and use data more effectively for transformative governance, particularly for protecting land and natural resources while addressing resource conflicts.
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International Comparison of the Efficiency of Agricultural Science, Technology, and Innovation: A Case Study of G20 Countries
This study measures agricultural science, technology, and innovation (ASTI) efficiency across G20 countries using data envelopment analysis. Developed G20 nations show declining efficiency trends but stronger innovation capacity, while developing G20 countries demonstrate rising efficiency but lower capacity. R&D spending redundancy and insufficient agricultural research output constrain efficiency gains. Technological change drives most productivity improvements across both groups.
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A Capability Approach to Entrepreneurship Education: The Sprouting Entrepreneurs Programme in Rural South African Schools
The Sprouting Entrepreneurs Programme teaches entrepreneurship and agriculture in rural South African schools to combat food insecurity, youth unemployment, and poverty. The programme combines the EntreComp framework with Amartya Sen's capability approach, emphasizing how young people develop freedoms and capabilities to create value through entrepreneurial ideas. It uses the Sustainable Development Goals as a learning medium.
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CHALLENGES OF RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SOUTH AFRICA: INSIGHTS FROM NKONKOBE MUNICIPAL AREA IN THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
Rural entrepreneurs in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province face significant barriers to success. A survey of 53 rural business owners identified lack of finance, small markets, poor infrastructure, limited networking, corruption, and weak marketing as major obstacles. Most entrepreneurs depend entirely on their businesses for income. The study recommends improved government support, training programs, and expanded microfinance schemes to strengthen rural entrepreneurship in developing regions.
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Successful agricultural innovation in emerging economies: new genetic technologies for global food production
This edited volume examines how genetic technologies and crop biotechnology drive agricultural innovation in emerging economies to address food security. It covers the scientific basis for genetically modified crops, their adoption across Africa, Argentina, China, and India, regulatory frameworks enabling innovation, and social and ethical considerations. The work argues that new genetic technologies offer practical solutions for improving food production and nutrition in developing regions.
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Female Access and Rights to Land, and Rural Non‐farm Entrepreneurship in Four African Countries
Women's access to land and secure land rights significantly increase their likelihood of starting non-farm businesses in rural Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Malawi, but not in Nigeria. The study analyzed household data from 2013–15 across four African countries using logistic regression. The researchers attribute these varying results to country-specific contexts and offer policy recommendations to strengthen women's entrepreneurship through land security.
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Capacity development for scaling up Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) innovations: agricultural extension's role in mitigating climate change effects in Gqumashe community, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Farmers in Gqumashe, Eastern Cape, South Africa recognize climate change threatens their agricultural production. The study recommends that agricultural extension agents increase targeted training on climate change awareness, conduct regular farm visits to share information about new technologies and techniques to adapt to climate variability, and provide market information and storage facility guidance to help farmers build resilience.
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Role of the interaction space in shaping innovation for sustainable agriculture: Empirical insights from African case studies
Agricultural development projects in Malawi and Tanzania use farm trials and farmer field schools to promote sustainable agriculture innovation. The study reveals that knowledge exchange succeeds through knowledge brokers who facilitate social learning, yet simultaneously create social exclusions. The design of interaction spaces between researchers and farmers directly shapes both technical and social knowledge construction. Effective scaling requires opening these spaces for genuine co-creation and collaborative knowledge building.
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Climate-Smart Agricultural Extension Service Innovation Approaches in Uganda: Review Paper
Uganda's agricultural extension services employ diverse providers—government, NGOs, universities, and commercial organizations—to deliver climate-smart farming practices. Extension approaches include soil fertility management, crop rotation, agroforestry, and farmer field schools. Innovative methods leverage ICT platforms, mass media campaigns, and climate-smart villages to help farmers adapt to climate change. The paper recommends integrating ICT across extension systems and developing strategic plans to increase women's participation in agricultural advisory services.
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The impact of entrepreneurship training on self-employment of rural female entrepreneurs in Uganda
Entrepreneurship training significantly improves self-employment outcomes for rural women in Uganda. A survey of 300 rural women before and after training showed that increased business knowledge raised self-employment probability by 6%, while improved business competence raised it by 2.7%. These results demonstrate that targeted training programmes effectively enhance labour market outcomes for women in rural Uganda.
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Household welfare impacts of an agricultural innovation platform in Uganda
An agricultural innovation platform in Uganda that brought together researchers and farmers to develop improved cassava varieties and establish a seed entrepreneurship system increased household consumption expenditure by 47.4% among participating farmers. The platform's impact varied by household characteristics like gender, suggesting that targeted interventions for specific farm groups could improve rural livelihoods further.
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Driving local community transformation through participatory rural entrepreneurship development
Rural entrepreneurship development drives local transformation and employment in remote communities. This action research in rural Lagos, Nigeria implemented a ten-stage practical approach using community-based organizations and revolving loans to fund rural enterprises including fisheries, barbering, piggeries, and snail production. Successful funded entrepreneurs and CBOs became models for expanding entrepreneurship and employment, lifting people out of poverty and informing rural development policy.
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From Policy Promises to Result through Innovation in African Agriculture?
Agricultural innovation can help African countries achieve food security and poverty reduction goals, but moving from policy promises to real results remains difficult. The paper identifies technological and institutional innovations that boost smallholder farmer productivity and income, yet barriers—including weak governance, limited resources, and knowledge gaps—prevent their adoption. Effective implementation mechanisms beyond goal-setting are essential to deliver promised outcomes.
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Overcoming constraints of scaling: Critical and empirical perspectives on agricultural innovation scaling
Agricultural innovation scaling in Ethiopia requires balancing technical and social factors, not just linear technology rollout. Scaling succeeds through flexible, stepwise strategies that build long-term partnerships, trust, and continuous learning rather than rigid predetermined plans. Social dynamics, actor relationships, and emergent processes matter as much as technical requirements for achieving real impact on rural livelihoods.
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Innovations in Value-Addition of Agricultural By-Products in Uganda
Uganda generates millions of tons of agricultural by-products from crops, livestock, fish, and forestry annually. Current innovations convert these materials into briquettes, biogas, biochar, organic fertilizers, and composite building materials. The review identifies additional opportunities: bones for soft tissue and buttons, blood for adhesives and fertilizers, and fish oil for food enrichment. These value-addition strategies reduce waste while creating new products and income sources.
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Managing Agricultural Research for Prosperity and Food Security in 2050: Comparison of Performance, Innovation Models and Prospects
This study compares agricultural research and innovation performance across six emerging economies in Asia and Africa—Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Uganda, and Kenya. The authors find that these countries show varying levels of success in R&D investment, policy implementation, technology transfer, and public-private partnerships. They identify best practices and recommend that sustained agricultural development requires strong policies supporting research investment, strategic partnerships linking research to practice, and continuous capacity building.
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Rural Entrepreneurship in African Countries: A Synthesis of Related Literature
This literature synthesis examines rural entrepreneurship across African countries, analyzing existing research to identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities for business development in rural African contexts. The authors synthesize findings from related studies to provide a comprehensive overview of how rural entrepreneurs operate, what barriers they face, and what factors enable their success across the African continent.
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Fertilizer use optimization approach: An innovation to increase agricultural profitability for African farmers
African smallholder farmers underinvest in fertilizer due to uncertainty about returns, keeping yields low despite agriculture's importance to the region. Researchers developed fertilizer optimization tools tailored to 65 agro-ecological zones and 14 major crops across Sub-Saharan Africa. These tools, along with complementary nutrient substitution tables, help farmers maximize profitability and returns on fertilizer investment.
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REAL-WORLD INNOVATION IN RURAL SOUTH AFRICA
Living Labs, a European model for community-driven innovation, can accelerate rural development in South Africa. The authors examine whether this regional innovation approach—which embeds user communities in real-world environments—transfers effectively to South African rural contexts. They assess how European best practices and lessons learned from Living Lab networks can speed innovation adoption in South African communities.
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Technological and Institutional Innovations for Sustainable Rural Development
International agricultural research must shift from traditional top-down models to participatory, systems-based approaches that engage farmers and communities throughout the innovation process. The International Livestock Research Institute reorganized its work around five interconnected themes emphasizing innovation systems, participatory research, social science capacity, and partnerships. This demand-driven, community-based model produces knowledge products directly addressing poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development, particularly through livestock research in developing countries.
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Short-run effects of grid electricity access on rural non-farm entrepreneurship and employment in Ethiopia and Nigeria
Rural electrification in Ethiopia and Nigeria between 2010–2015 did not significantly increase non-farm entrepreneurship or non-farm employment within 2–4 years of grid connection, according to difference-in-differences analysis. Nigeria showed some farm employment intensification. The study demonstrates that electricity access alone is insufficient to drive non-farm economic shifts in these contexts, and highlights data limitations in measuring such effects.
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Adoption of ICT-in-Agriculture Innovations by Smallholder Farmers in Kenya
Smallholder farmers in Kenya face barriers to adopting digital agricultural tools despite their potential to boost productivity and market access. A study of 100 farmers in Siaya County found that cost, illiteracy, ICT skills, information quality, and gender significantly influence whether farmers adopt agricultural technology innovations. Female smallholders practicing traditional farming methods remain the primary demographic needing support.
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Interrogating “entrepreneurship for development”: a counter-narrative based on local stories of women in rural Ethiopia
This study challenges the dominant narrative that entrepreneurship solves development problems by examining women's actual experiences in rural Ethiopia. Through interviews and focus groups, researchers found that while women entrepreneurs gain financial benefits and social recognition, they also face significant downsides including personal safety concerns, stress, limited social life, and fear of poverty. The findings urge policymakers to reconsider uncritical promotion of entrepreneurship and recognize its complex, sometimes harmful effects on women's lives.
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The dynamics of local innovations among formal and informal enterprises: Stories from rural South Africa
This study examines innovation in rural South African enterprises, both formal and informal. The research reveals that innovation characteristics are similar across formal and informal sectors, challenging traditional distinctions between them. Informal innovations occur throughout the rural economy regardless of sector location. The findings show that narrow categorizations of innovators obscure economic reality and identify four policy priorities for supporting rural innovation.
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Developing an educational research framework for evaluating rural training of health professionals: A case for innovation
Rural medical training programs need innovative approaches to improve learning. This paper describes a collaborative workshop process that developed a research framework for evaluating a rural health professional training intervention. The framework enables systematic study of educational innovations and establishes accountability for identifying effective practices in rural healthcare worker training.
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Innovation of argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) products and byproducts for sustainable development of rural communities in Morocco. A systematic literature review
Argan trees in Morocco face threats from overgrazing and land degradation, but innovative processing of argan byproducts offers economic opportunities for rural communities. Argan press cake, nut shells, and pulp can be converted into livestock feed, bioplastics, biochar, bioenergy, and natural repellents. However, local populations remain underinvolved in development strategies. The paper recommends participatory approaches, training, and product differentiation among women's cooperatives to realize sustainable rural development benefits.
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Impediments to youth entrepreneurship in rural areas of Zimbabwe
Youth in rural Zimbabwe face significant barriers to starting businesses, including limited access to resources and lack of entrepreneurial skills. The study identifies specific challenges these young entrepreneurs encounter and documents the potential benefits entrepreneurship could bring to rural communities. The research recommends equipping Zimbabwean youth with entrepreneurial competencies to overcome these obstacles and enable business creation.
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Participatory Rural Entrepreneurship Development for Grassroots Transformation: A Factor Analysis
This study identified key factors influencing rural entrepreneurship development in Lagos State, Nigeria. Researchers surveyed 320 people across eight rural communities and found that social status, personal experience, functional infrastructure, and education most strongly drive participation in entrepreneurship programs. Credit access and high labor costs emerged as major barriers. Most rural entrepreneurs remained small-scale, with limited employment creation and preference for trading over production.
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Challenges for entrepreneurship development in rural economies: the case of micro and small-scale enterprises in Ethiopia
Government support programs for micro and small-scale enterprises in Ethiopia reduce entrepreneurial activity by encouraging market entry among entrepreneurs without sound business strategies. Direct government involvement, sector-specific incentives, and programs pursuing social or political goals undermine rather than strengthen early-stage entrepreneurship. The study shows that institutional environment and business formation processes critically shape entrepreneurial outcomes in low-trust, high-population contexts.
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Applying the model of diffusion of innovations to understand facilitators for the implementation of maternal and neonatal health programmes in rural Uganda
Two maternal and neonatal health projects in rural Uganda—one using vouchers to reduce financial barriers and another strengthening health systems—were analyzed using a diffusion of innovations framework. The analysis revealed key barriers and facilitators to implementing health interventions. The researchers found that understanding how innovations are adopted and spread after external support ends requires studying projects beyond their initial implementation period.
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Associations between local land use/land cover and place-based landscape service patterns in rural Tanzania
This study maps how landscape services relate to land use patterns in three rural Tanzanian villages. Researchers used participatory mapping to identify eight provisioning and one cultural service, then analyzed their spatial associations with local land cover. The findings show that land use patterns significantly predict landscape service distribution, with both village-specific patterns and common associations across sites. This suggests land use data could help estimate landscape services at larger scales.
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Exploring Audience Segmentation: Investigating Adopter Categories to Diffuse an Innovation to Prevent Famine in Rural Mozambique
This study identifies five distinct adopter categories among rural Mozambicans for an innovation designed to prevent food shortages. Using latent class analysis on 127 participants, the researchers found that these categories differ significantly from traditional adopter category models. The findings suggest that audience segmentation based on local adopter patterns can improve the effectiveness of campaigns to diffuse food security innovations in rural contexts.
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Enabling rural innovation in Africa: an approach for empowering smallholder farmers to access market opportunities for improved livelihoods
This paper presents the Enabling Rural Innovation approach, which helps smallholder farmers in Africa access market opportunities and build entrepreneurial capacity. The method combines participatory market research, farmer-led research, natural resource management, social capital building, and gender equity to link resource-poor farmers to domestic, regional, and international markets. The authors share lessons and impact findings from testing this approach across eastern and southern Africa.
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Sustainable innovations for rural Africa: Case studies from Nigeria and Tanzania
Two African startups in Nigeria and Tanzania developed sustainable business models for rural communities by engaging early adopters, leveraging existing networks, and providing education through community associations. The research found that this approach effectively increases innovation adoption rates. However, entrepreneurs must navigate political and cultural dynamics and build community trust to successfully diffuse innovations in rural African settings.
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Assessment of rural households’ mobile phone usage status for rural innovation services in Gomma Woreda, Southwest Ethiopia
Rural households in Southwest Ethiopia use mobile phones primarily to access marketing services, with educated farmers adopting more innovation services than less educated ones. The study surveyed 188 households and found mobile phones enable access to agricultural extension, health services, and marketing. Stakeholders must address barriers to mobile phone utilization in rural areas to expand these innovation services.
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Barriers to Youthful Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas of Ghana
Young people in rural Ghana face significant barriers to starting businesses, primarily lack of capital, insufficient skills, inadequate support systems, limited market opportunities, and perceived risk. The study surveyed 240 youth in the Komenda, Edina, Eguafo, and Abirem Municipal Assembly areas using questionnaires and interviews. Researchers recommend equipping Ghanaian youth with entrepreneurial skills to enable economic development.
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Entrepreneurship: Solution to Unemployment and Development in Rural Communities
Entrepreneurship can address unemployment in rural communities, but South African university students face significant barriers to starting ventures. The study identifies obstacles including weak entrepreneurship curriculum, lack of work-integrated learning, poor infrastructure, and unsupportive government and university policies. The researchers recommend making entrepreneurship a core module, establishing university-community partnerships for practical learning, and implementing policies that support student entrepreneurs from the undergraduate level.
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Impact of entrepreneurship training on rural poultry farmers adoption of improved management practices in Enugu State, Nigeria
Entrepreneurship training significantly increased rural poultry farmers' adoption of improved management practices in Nigeria. Before training, 70% of farmers were unaware of practices like record-keeping and vaccination; after training, 100% knew them and 85% adopted them. Education, farming experience, income, and farm size positively influenced adoption. High input costs, low capital, loan access difficulties, and poor extension services were major barriers. The study recommends more training and government-backed soft loans to boost adoption and food security.
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Rural Entrepreneurship and Innovation in BRICS Economies: Secondary Evidence from Rural Areas in South Africa
Rural firms in South Africa are risk-averse and heavily dependent on government support and networks to engage in entrepreneurship and innovation. When external support ends, rural businesses fail. The study argues that government and networks must shift focus toward building independent, sustainable rural entrepreneurs rather than providing temporary assistance.
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Perspectives on communicating 21st-Century agricultural innovations to Nigerian rural farmers
Nigeria's agricultural extension system fails to communicate modern farming innovations effectively to rural farmers because it treats them as passive pupils rather than active participants. The paper argues for a fundamental shift toward two-way communication, better-trained extension agents with stronger communication skills, and recognition of farmers as co-designers of innovations. Evidence from Asian countries demonstrates this approach works better than Nigeria's current top-down, one-way knowledge delivery model.
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Investigating the Performance of Rural Off-Grid Photovoltaic System with Electric-Mobility Solutions: A Case Study Based on Kenya
This paper models an off-grid photovoltaic charging station in Kenya to provide reliable, low-emission electricity for rural applications including water purification and electric vehicle charging. The system outperforms diesel generators in cost and environmental impact. The model adapts to different regions by adjusting solar radiation, temperature, and load parameters, offering a replicable solution for rural electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Indigenous Knowledge and Acceptability of Treated Effluent in Agriculture
This study examined whether indigenous knowledge can increase acceptance of treated effluent from human waste in agriculture. Researchers conducted focus groups in rural and peri-urban South Africa and found that communities showed willingness to grow and consume food using treated effluent. Participants referenced indigenous practices supporting recycling and reuse of human excreta. The findings suggest leveraging traditional knowledge to address food insecurity and sanitation challenges simultaneously in rural and peri-urban areas.
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Rural Farmers Use of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Agriculture for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Southeast Nigeria
Farmers in Southeast Nigeria use traditional indigenous knowledge practices to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The study surveyed 360 farmers and found they employ crop diversification, rotation, mulching, agroforestry, water storage, and natural pest control methods. These proven practices remain effective and safe, and the researchers recommend integrating them with modern agricultural techniques.
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Knowledge Management Strategy for Indigenous Knowledge on Land Use and Agricultural Development in Western Ethiopia
Local communities in western Ethiopia possess substantial indigenous knowledge about land use and agriculture, but fail to systematically acquire, develop, share, or preserve it. The study identifies major barriers including poor knowledge-sharing culture, lack of written records, generational disinterest, oral-only transmission, lifestyle changes, and insufficient recognition of indigenous knowledge. The authors recommend developing knowledge management strategies to better capture and utilize this local expertise.
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Institutional barriers to successful innovations: Perceptions of rural farmers and key stakeholders in southwest Nigeria
Rural farmers and stakeholders in southwest Nigeria identify institutional barriers as critical to agricultural innovation success. Government policies, market conditions, financial institutions, and infrastructure significantly affect whether farmers adopt new technologies. The study recommends pairing institutional reforms with innovative inputs and strengthening farmers' cooperatives to enable successful agricultural innovation.
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Hybrid Power System Options for Off-Grid Rural Electrification in Northern Kenya
This study evaluates hybrid energy systems combining wind, solar, and battery storage to replace diesel generators in six remote villages in northern Kenya. The researchers simulated five different configurations and used trade-off analysis to identify the optimal design. A wind-diesel-battery system with two 500 kW turbines proved most effective, reducing diesel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 98.8% while remaining economically viable.
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A TV white space broadband market model for rural entrepreneurs
This paper develops a market model enabling rural entrepreneurs to provide broadband internet using TV white space spectrum. The model treats spectrum allocation as a pricing game between a WiMAX base station (seller) and WiFi access points (buyers), with throughput determining quality of service. The approach enables cost-effective mesh networks to deliver broadband to rural schools and remote areas, offering a practical spectrum management solution for underserved regions.
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Adverse selections and microfinance in rural Africa: signalling through environmental services
Microfinance institutions struggle to identify creditworthy agricultural borrowers in rural Africa because farmers misrepresent their success. This paper uses game theory to show that certified environmental services, particularly carbon credits, can signal genuine farming project viability. Borrowers with certification reveal their actual farming conditions, reducing adverse selection and loan default problems.
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Microfinance with education in rural Ghana: Men's perception of household level impact
A microfinance and nutrition education program in rural Ghana increased women's incomes and household food security. Male household heads reported supporting women's participation and perceived positive impacts on business practices and meal quality. However, men reduced their own household contributions in response to women's increased earnings, revealing unintended consequences of women's economic empowerment on household dynamics.
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The management of indigenous knowledge with other knowledge systems for agricultural development: challenges and opportunities for developing countries
Tanzanian farmers struggle to integrate indigenous agricultural knowledge with external knowledge systems due to personal, social, and resource constraints, weak infrastructure, unclear intellectual property policies, and poor connections between researchers, extension workers, and farming communities. The paper identifies specific challenges and recommends strategies to strengthen knowledge management systems for agricultural development in rural Tanzania.
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Techno-economic and environmental assessment of grid and solar photovoltaic microgrid supply options for isolated off-grid rural communities toward sustainable and affordable electricity in Nkoranza South, Bono East, Ghana
This study compares grid extension and solar photovoltaic microgrids for delivering electricity to isolated rural communities in Ghana. A 746 kW solar microgrid proved economically superior to a 19.5 km grid extension, with positive net present value, 24% internal rate of return, and 7-year payback period versus negative returns for grid expansion. The solar option also delivers substantial environmental benefits, preventing 31 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 25 years.
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Rural electrification with hybrid renewable energy-based off-grid technology: a case study of Adem Tuleman, Ethiopia
A hybrid renewable energy system combining wind, solar, and diesel power can effectively electrify the remote rural village of Adem Tuleman in Ethiopia. The system meets the village's 204 kWh/day energy demand at a cost of $0.195/kWh, with initial capital costs of $24,817 and total net present value of $189,233. This approach provides a financially viable alternative to biomass burning, reducing health risks and environmental damage while delivering reliable electricity to off-grid communities.
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‘Men on Transit’ and the Rural ‘Farmer Housewives’: Women in Decision-making Roles in Migrant-labour Societies in North-Western Zimbabwe
Research in north-western Zimbabwe challenges the narrative that migration harms women left behind. The study finds that male migration actually increased women's decision-making power in households and communities. Women took on prominent roles in household and societal governance, experiencing empowerment rather than marginalization. The findings highlight how migration can drive development and caution against generalizing migration's effects across different rural contexts.
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Food security in rural Uganda: assessing latent effects of microfinance on pre-participation
This study examines how microfinance affects food security among rural Ugandan women before they join microfinance organizations. Researchers surveyed 130 women in two villages and found that microfinance participation creates structural links between women's social capital, empowerment, and collective action, which then increases access to additional income and improves food security outcomes.
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The influence of entrepreneurship ecosystem for sustainable growth on the rural small and micro retail businesses : case study
This study examines how entrepreneurship ecosystems influence sustainable growth in rural small and micro retail businesses in South Africa's eThekwini Municipality. The research surveyed 64 rural retailers and found that both internal and external ecosystem factors affect business success. The paper recommends that retailers develop business and financial management skills, while provincial governments, local municipalities, and traditional leaders should provide infrastructure and entrepreneurship support to enable sustainable growth.
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Indigenous knowledge systems and agricultural rural development in South Africa : past and present perspectives
Indigenous knowledge systems sustained rural livelihoods and biodiversity in South Africa for centuries until colonialism and apartheid disrupted them. The paper examines how IK can support agricultural development today, identifying gaps in research and policy. While the South African government has advanced IK protection, gaps remain in intellectual property legislation and implementation. Agricultural and soil-focused IK research needs expansion to unlock innovation potential for rural development.
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From financial exclusion to financial inclusion through microfinance: the case of rural Zimbabwe
Rural Zimbabwe's population remains largely unbanked not because they lack capacity, but because commercial banks find it unprofitable to serve areas with inadequate infrastructure. Microfinance institutions fill this gap but face significant operational challenges. The study reveals that rural communities are actually bankable, contradicting banks' claims that poverty prevents financial inclusion.
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Using Indigenous Knowledge in Traditional Agricultural Systems for Poverty and Hunger Eradication
Indigenous knowledge systems offer practical solutions for South African agriculture, enabling resource-poor farmers to improve food security, reduce poverty, and generate income through cost-effective, labour-intensive methods. Indigenous practices inform crop selection, animal breeding, storage, processing, and farm tool design. The article emphasizes urgency in documenting this knowledge before the elderly generation holding it disappears.
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Preliminaries into problems to access information – the digital divide and rural communities
This paper examines the digital divide affecting rural communities in South Africa, focusing on barriers to information access. The authors investigate how limited digital connectivity and information availability constrain rural development and knowledge sharing. The work identifies specific problems rural populations face when trying to access information resources and services.
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The role of permaculture in the integration of indigenous and modern agricultural knowledge: Evidence from Konso, Ethiopia
Farmers in Konso, Ethiopia adopt some modern agricultural practices like improved seeds and pest control methods, but remain skeptical about chemical fertilizers and seed varieties that threaten local crops. The study finds that permaculture offers a promising bridge between indigenous and modern farming systems because its philosophy aligns with traditional knowledge while addressing food security challenges. Properly implemented permaculture can integrate both approaches effectively.
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Survivalism, collectivism and proud heritage: A study of informal arts and crafts entrepreneurship in rural Zimbabwe
Rural arts and crafts entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe operate under distinct motivations shaped by their sociocultural context. Beyond poverty reduction, these traders pursue business to preserve cultural heritage and strengthen community bonds through reciprocal, collective practices. Western entrepreneurship models fail to capture these non-financial drivers and sub-Saharan African business characteristics, requiring context-specific research and policy approaches.
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Hydro-based, renewable hybrid energy sytem for rural/remote electrification in Nigeria
Nigeria's remote areas lack grid electricity and conventional energy access due to cost and infrastructure barriers. The paper proposes hybrid renewable energy systems combining hydro, solar, and wind power to electrify rural and remote communities. Nigeria possesses abundant renewable resources but lacks technical expertise to harness them effectively. Hybrid systems leverage local renewable potential to provide sustainable power solutions for off-grid populations.
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Sustainability of rural energy access in developing countries
Rural energy access remains unresolved in developing countries despite policy efforts. This dissertation analyzes policies and their impacts on renewable energy markets, technological choices for electrification, and sustainability performance across Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The research shows market-oriented policies expand rural electrification in Nepal, identifies cost-effective technology pathways in Afghanistan and Nepal, models cooking fuel transitions in China, and introduces sustainability indices to evaluate energy technologies and country progress. Mature technologies like biomass and micro-hydro outperform solar and wind without policy support, while credit access and subsidy delivery mechanisms require innovation.
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Affordable broadband connectivity for rural areas
Rural Tanzania lacks affordable broadband despite 75% of the population living outside cities. Current services like GPRS and VSAT are slow and expensive. This paper proposes last-mile broadband frameworks using existing optical fiber backbones to deliver high-speed, affordable connectivity to remote communities. The authors evaluate these frameworks by deployment cost, data rates, coverage, and accessibility for rural Tanzania.
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Broadband Wireless Access Deployment Approach to Rural Communities
This paper presents a framework for deploying Wi-Fi and WiMAX wireless broadband technologies in Jeddo, a rural Nigerian community. Wireless networks offer cost-effective alternatives to wired infrastructure in remote areas. The authors outline technical specifications, network planning requirements, and infrastructure components needed to deliver broadband internet access across entire rural communities using Wi-Fi with WiMAX backhaul systems.
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A Disruptive Innovation Model for Indigenous Medicine Research: A Nigerian Perspective
Nigeria's pharmaceutical sector struggles to develop affordable medicines despite access to indigenous medicinal knowledge. The paper argues that the problem isn't just economic or technological constraints, but rather the absence of frameworks for scientific validation and policymakers' failure to account for local realities. The author proposes a disruptive innovation model that applies scientific rigor to traditional phytomedicinal knowledge, enabling researchers and policymakers to identify effective treatments while discarding ineffective ones.
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The social impact of microfinance: what changes in well-being are perceived by women group borrowers after obtaining a group loan? : A participatory rural appraisal in Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania
Microfinance group loans in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania produced mixed results for women borrowers' well-being. While loans contributed to positive changes, these improvements were not driven by income alone and depended heavily on group dynamics and family circumstances. The study challenges the assumption that microfinance's poverty-reduction benefits flow primarily from increased income, showing instead that well-being involves multiple interconnected factors beyond financial gains.
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Drivers of Rural Entrepreneurship in Northern Ghana: A Community Capitals Framework Approach
Rural communities in northern Ghana possess strong cultural, social, and political capital that supports entrepreneurship, along with some human capital strengths. However, severe financial capital shortages and gaps in human capital skills significantly limit entrepreneurial development and sustainability. The study identifies these barriers and assets to help policymakers design more effective entrepreneurship programs for poverty reduction.
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Do government incentives increase indigenous innovation commercialisation? Empirical evidence from local Ghanaian firms
Government incentives affect indigenous innovation commercialisation differently in Ghana's small-scale industry. Supply-side incentives increase employment but not sales or profits. Demand-side incentives to buyers significantly boost sales, profitability, and employment, and strengthen the positive effects of market factors. The study recommends shifting innovation support toward demand-side strategies in low-income economies.
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Design and Simulation of an Inverter Drive System with a Display for a Renewable Energy System in the Rural Isolated Communities of Uganda
Researchers designed and simulated an inverter system that converts single-phase AC power to three-phase DC power for rural health facilities in Uganda. The five-level inverter uses passive and active components to reduce distortion and ripples while improving efficiency. Testing showed the system can suppress power ripples using smaller capacitors than conventional converters, enabling three-phase medical equipment to run reliably in isolated communities with limited electrical infrastructure.
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Optimisation of a Renewable Energy System for Rural Electrification
This paper optimizes anaerobic digestion systems that convert cattle waste into biogas for rural electricity generation. Using Tabu Search optimization, the authors determine the ideal system size and operating method to maximize revenue for a given number of cattle. The findings show that properly sized waste-to-energy systems can effectively increase electricity access in rural Uganda.
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Examining the Role of Regulation in the Commercialisation of Indigenous Innovation in Sub-Saharan African Economies: Evidence from the Ghanaian Small-Scale Industry
Regulation significantly boosts the commercialization of indigenous innovation in Ghana's small-scale industry. A survey of 557 firms found that regulation positively affects sales, employment, and owner satisfaction, while also strengthening how finance and organizational factors drive firm performance. The study challenges the deregulation narrative, arguing that low-income economies need balanced, appropriate regulations to support indigenous innovation.
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Counter-urbanization, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Rural Development in Developing Countries: The Nigerian Example
Counter-urbanization presents an opportunity for rural development in Nigeria by leveraging entrepreneurship and local resources. The paper argues that rural areas can achieve sustainable development by mobilizing endogenous capital, local knowledge, land, skills, and social networks. Success requires reformed rural development policies that strengthen local institutions, build trust, and support entrepreneurial activity among both rural residents and counter-urbanizing migrants.
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Poultry production in Nigeria: exploiting its potentials for rural youth empowerment and entrepreneurship
Poultry production offers significant potential to reduce youth unemployment in Nigeria's rural and peri-urban areas through entrepreneurship. The paper argues that government, financial institutions, and corporations should collaborate to support young farmers with soft loans, infrastructure, and extension services. Establishing a well-funded poultry advisory system would make farming attractive to youth and ensure sustainable rural development through employment creation.
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Place-based perceptions, resilience and adaptation to climate change by smallholder farmers in rural South Africa
Smallholder farmers in South Africa's Joe Gqabi District respond to climate change through diverse adaptation and resilience strategies. Their choices depend on household characteristics, access to information and technology, assets, and climate perceptions. The study finds farmers lack institutional support and awareness. Strengthening farmer and institutional capacity, building on existing knowledge, and implementing supportive policies are essential for sustaining production under changing climate conditions.
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Techno-economic analysis and design of hybrid renewable energy microgrid for rural electrification
This paper designs a hybrid renewable energy microgrid for rural electrification in Ethiopia using techno-economic analysis. Researchers modeled a standalone microgrid for the village of Jarre in the Somali region, comparing it economically against grid extension. Using particle swarm optimization, they identified the most cost-effective and reliable configuration of renewable energy sources to meet local electricity demand while ensuring system reliability.
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Off-Grid Power Plant Load Management System Applied in a Rural Area of Africa
This paper develops a load management system for off-grid solar power plants in rural areas using machine learning. The system combines support vector machines and fruit fly optimization to predict energy demand and detect anomalies in real time. Applied to a 50-household solar installation in Tanzania, the approach improves energy efficiency and utilization rates, offering a practical solution for sustainable rural electrification in Africa.
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Effects of Land Degradation on Agricultural Land Use: A Case Study of Smallholder Farmers Indigenous Knowledge on Land Use Planning and Management in Kalama Division, Machakos County
Smallholder farmers in Machakos County, Kenya use indigenous knowledge to manage land degradation and plan agricultural land use across different slope zones. Farmers recognize degradation indicators through local environmental knowledge and employ traditional practices like tree planting, crop rotation, organic manure application, and water conservation structures. Land use patterns and management strategies vary by terrain and zone characteristics, with tree planting and water conservation being the most common practices. The study demonstrates that place-based understanding of local decision-making can improve rural livelihood security and inform targeted land management interventions.
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Impact of Microfinance on Rural Household Poverty in Ethiopia
Microfinance institutions in Ethiopia target rural poor to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods through employment creation, income growth, and empowerment. The paper reviews whether microfinance services actually improve living standards, measuring impact through household income, education access, healthcare, nutrition, savings, and employment. Ethiopian MFIs face challenges including loan repayment failures, limited foreign capital access, and weak client follow-up that threaten institutional sustainability.
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TOWARDS DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR STIMULATING RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF THREE MUNICIPALITIES
Rural entrepreneurship in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province faces significant obstacles that slow small business growth despite municipal support strategies. This study examined three rural municipalities and found that while progress exists, municipalities must do more to stimulate the sector. Key recommendations include distributing land to small businesses, clustering enterprises for skills development and technology transfer, holding business exhibitions, and providing continuous mentorship and monitoring after training and financial support.
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Rural Entrepreneurship and Welfare in South Africa: A Case of Nkonkobe Municipal Area in the Eastern Cape Province
Rural entrepreneurship in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province significantly improves household and community welfare. Survey data from 53 entrepreneurs shows that 83 percent rely primarily on entrepreneurial income. Rural businesses enable families to access healthcare, purchase assets, afford quality education for children, and support relatives. Entrepreneurship creates employment and integrates marginalized youth into the economy. A strong positive correlation exists between entrepreneurial income and school enrollment, demonstrating that rural entrepreneurship directly enhances livelihood quality through wealth and job creation.
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Disabilities and Entrepreneurship in Makonde Rural Community in Zimbabwe
This study surveyed 137 people with disabilities in rural Zimbabwe to assess their participation in entrepreneurship programs. Researchers found that entrepreneurial activities excluded people with disabilities through lack of access to education, restrictive policies, social discrimination from non-disabled peers, and denial of credit from financial institutions. The authors recommend government intervention to include disabled populations in entrepreneurship initiatives to reduce rural poverty.
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Rural Member-Based Microfinance Institutions : A field study assessing the impacts of SACCOS and VICOBA in Babati district, Tanzania
Rural microfinance institutions in Tanzania—SACCOS and VICOBA—help members meet consumption needs, pay school fees, and start small businesses, according to member interviews in Babati district. Members believe these institutions reduce poverty, but the study finds that poverty reduction isn't automatic. Low loan repayment rates, insufficient capital, and poor entrepreneurship education limit effectiveness. How members use loans ultimately determines whether microfinance actually reduces poverty.
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Broadband provision to underprivileged rural communities
This paper describes a wireless mesh network project deployed in rural South Africa to provide affordable broadband to underprivileged communities. The authors identify major technical and socio-economic barriers—including long distances, poor infrastructure, high costs, and unreliable power—and explain how mesh network technology addresses these challenges with lower energy consumption and reduced deployment costs.
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Design and economy of renewable energy sources to supply isolated loads at rural and remote areas of Egypt
This paper develops a model to design and evaluate renewable energy systems for isolated rural loads in Egypt, focusing on solar photovoltaic and wind energy for irrigation pumping. The model incorporates meteorological data, system performance, storage capacity, and economic parameters to compare three alternative configurations. Applied to a remote Egyptian site, the model identifies the most economically viable renewable energy option for rural electrification.
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Managing Agricultural Indigenous And Exogenous Knowledge Through Information And Communication Technologies For Poverty Reduction In Tanzania
ICTs can help Tanzanian rural communities manage agricultural indigenous knowledge while integrating external knowledge to reduce poverty and hunger. The paper argues that combining local farming practices with global agricultural information through digital technologies improves productivity. Rural Tanzanians currently lack access to global knowledge and platforms to share their own expertise, creating missed opportunities for agricultural advancement.
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The spread of innovations within formal and informal farmers groups: Evidence from rural communi- ties of semi-arid Eastern Africa
Cohesive and active farmers groups accelerate the spread of agroforestry innovations in semi-arid Eastern Africa. The study surveyed 200 households each in Kenya and Ethiopia, finding that group cohesiveness, activity level, and member motivation all strengthen technology adoption among farmers. Social networks within groups drive knowledge diffusion more effectively than top-down extension approaches alone.
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Renewable Energy Integration into Industrial and Residential Buildings: A Study Across Urban, Rural, and Coastal Areas
This study evaluates how different renewable energy sources—photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, and biomass—perform when integrated into residential, commercial, and industrial buildings across urban, rural, and coastal areas. The research finds that photovoltaic energy works best for urban residential buildings, wind energy suits coastal industrial buildings, and geothermal energy provides the most consistent baseload power across all settings. Combining multiple renewable sources reduces grid dependence and improves sustainability more effectively than relying on single sources.
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Comparative analysis of rural communities’ tradeoffs in large-scale and small-scale renewable energy projects in Kenya
Rural Kenyan communities make complex decisions about trading land for electricity access in renewable energy projects. Using institutional analysis, the study finds that trade-off outcomes depend on land tenure systems, project scale, electricity access, traditional knowledge, and local power dynamics. Communities' diverse roles and governance structures shape whether they benefit from large-scale or small-scale renewable projects.
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Renewable Energy from Agricultural Waste: Biogas Potential for Sustainable Energy Generation in Nigeria’s Rural Agricultural Communities
Nigeria's agricultural sector generates massive quantities of animal manure and crop residues daily, offering significant potential for biogas energy production in rural communities. The country could produce 6.8 million cubic meters of biogas daily from animal waste and 15 billion cubic meters annually from crop residues. Despite two decades of research, large-scale implementation remains blocked by financial constraints, lack of awareness, insufficient technical expertise, and absent policy frameworks. Small-scale biogas plants demonstrate viability for providing sustainable, off-grid energy to rural farmers.
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Enhancing Pharmacological Access and Health Outcomes in Rural Communities through Renewable Energy Integration: Implications for chronic inflammatory Disease Management
Solar-powered cold chain systems in rural healthcare facilities improve medication storage and vaccine distribution, reducing waste and maintaining drug potency. Case studies from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East show that renewable energy integration increases immunization coverage and improves management of inflammatory diseases. The authors argue that deploying solar energy solutions strengthens rural healthcare infrastructure and promotes health equity in underserved regions.
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Are rural energy access programs pro-poor? Some are, many are not
Energy access programs in rural Sub-Saharan Africa often fail to reach the poorest populations despite claims of pro-poor benefits. The paper examines on- and off-grid electrification and improved cooking technologies, finding that poor households rarely adopt these technologies without targeted interventions. Price subsidies are essential for all technologies, and energy-efficient biomass cookstoves show the most promise for reducing poverty. Electrification programs particularly struggle because connection costs exclude the poorest and productive electricity uses remain limited.
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A hybrid solar–biogas system for post-COVID-19 rural energy access
A hybrid solar-biogas system can provide reliable electricity to rural households while managing livestock waste. The study designed a 1.2-kWp solar and 1.2-m³ biogas system to power a rural home consuming 6.6 kWh daily. With subsidies, the system costs $5,777 upfront, achieves energy at $0.21/kWh, and pays back in 14.7 years. The authors recommend energy service contracts to ensure effective operation and maintenance.
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Maximizing Solar Integration: Enhancing Off-grid Rural Energy Storage in Zambia
This study examines photovoltaic adoption for rural electrification in Zambia, where solar potential remains largely untapped. The research identifies major barriers to PV integration including high costs, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient training. The authors demonstrate through case studies that solar systems can effectively power irrigation and rural electrification, yet significant challenges require targeted policies, financial support, and community engagement to achieve widespread adoption.
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Optimal Planning and Deployment of Hybrid Renewable Energy to Rural Healthcare Facilities in Nigeria
Rural healthcare facilities in Nigeria suffer from unreliable electricity supply. This paper designs hybrid renewable energy systems combining solar, wind, and diesel generation with the existing grid to reliably power six rural health centers. Optimized configurations achieve very low energy costs between $0.06 and $0.12 per kilowatt-hour, with solar and wind providing the majority of power at all locations.
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Design Considerations for Reducing Battery Storage in Off-Grid, Stand-Alone, Photovoltaic-Powered Cold Storage in Rural Applications
This paper examines how to design off-grid solar-powered cold storage units for rural areas while minimizing battery size. Using a case study from rural South Africa, the authors identify key design factors including photovoltaic panel orientation, container positioning, and electrical component sizing. Their mathematical models and field data show how these design choices reduce cooling demands in hot climates, making solar cold storage more feasible and sustainable for improving food security and rural livelihoods.
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Thermodynamic analysis of a hybrid wind turbine and biomass gasifier for energy supply in a rural off-grid region of Nigeria
Researchers designed and analyzed a hybrid renewable energy system combining a biomass gasifier and wind turbine to supply electricity, heating, and cooling to 2,000 rural homes in Nigeria. The system achieved 48% energy efficiency and 25% exergy efficiency, with the biomass gasifier accounting for 95% of energy losses. The analysis identifies how performance varies with changing environmental conditions and operational parameters.
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Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Smart Agriculture—A Review
Indigenous knowledge systems in sub-Saharan Africa offer proven strategies for climate-smart agriculture that help rural farmers adapt to rising temperatures, changing rainfall, and extreme weather. Farmers have successfully used traditional practices passed down through generations to manage climate risks. Despite evidence that integrating indigenous knowledge with modern climate-smart agricultural innovations improves adaptation and resilience, adoption remains low in developing countries. Strengthening indigenous knowledge systems through capacity building could enhance smallholder farmer resilience to climate change.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY ACCESS CHALLENGE AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL FOR THE POOR IN RURAL ZIMBABWE: IS BIOGAS ENERGY A REMEDY?
This study examines renewable energy access for poor rural households in Zimbabwe, specifically investigating whether biogas energy can address energy poverty. The research finds that biogas alone cannot solve Zimbabwe's energy crisis. Key barriers include lack of knowledge about biogas technology, insufficient startup capital, high installation costs, inadequate funding, and negative community attitudes. The paper argues that sustainable energy solutions require addressing root causes of energy poverty beyond technology provision.
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Applicability Study of Battery Charging Stations in Off-Grid for Rural Electrification – the case of Rwanda
Rwanda's rural electrification lags at 12% coverage despite government targets. This paper proposes battery charging stations that pool solar panels from multiple households, reducing individual costs and enabling low-income families to access electricity. The approach leverages existing photovoltaic infrastructure to accelerate rural electrification while maintaining local ownership and affordability.
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Impediments to Rural Youth Entrepreneurship towards the Hospitality Sector in Nigeria: The Case of Ihitte-Uboma, Imo State.
Rural youth in Nigeria face significant barriers to starting hospitality businesses, according to a case study from Ihitte-Uboma in Imo State. The research identifies specific impediments that prevent young people from pursuing entrepreneurship in the hospitality sector, offering insights into why rural youth struggle to establish ventures in this industry.
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Women Entrepreneurship as a Cutting Edge for Rural Development in Nigeria
Rural entrepreneurship, particularly among women, drives economic development in Nigeria by creating local employment, generating farm income, and building community resilience. The paper argues that developing entrepreneurial capabilities and skills is essential for sustainable rural growth, and identifies necessary policies to foster a supportive environment for rural entrepreneurs, especially women seeking autonomy and economic independence near their homes.
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Remote monitoring of off-grid renewable energy Case studies in rural Malawi, Zambia, and Gambia
Remote monitoring technologies can improve how off-grid renewable energy systems perform and last longer in developing countries. The paper presents case studies from Malawi, Gambia, and Zambia showing different remote monitoring configurations and their strengths and weaknesses. These technologies help track system performance and identify problems, supporting better sustainability of renewable energy deployments in rural areas without grid access.
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Microfinance and Poverty Reduction Nexus among Rural Women in Selected Districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana
Microfinance access enables rural women in Ghana's Upper West Region to acquire assets and improve their well-being, reducing poverty and vulnerability. The study of 200 women found that education and marital status positively correlate with asset accumulation, while household dependents negatively affect it. Women participating in microfinance programs gain financial independence and contribute more effectively to their families and communities.
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An Evaluation of Technology Innovation on the Performance of Indigenous Textile Weaving Firms in Southwestern Nigeria
Technology innovation significantly improves performance of indigenous textile weaving firms in southwestern Nigeria. Investment in technology, product innovations, capital investment, and business experience drive firm success. However, high taxes, R&D costs, local competition, and regional market pressures constrain performance. Domestic marketing and advisory services support firm resilience.
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An Overview of Innovation Intensity in the Indigenous Oilfield Services Firms in Nigeria
This study examined innovation types and intensity across 100 indigenous Nigerian oil and gas service firms between 2001 and 2010. Organizational innovation dominated at 46%, while product, process, and diffusion-based innovations occurred less frequently. Overall innovation intensity remained low, with minimal patents granted, limited R&D staffing, and weak organizational learning. Firms reported innovation benefits mainly through profit increases, process improvements, and new product development.
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The use of scientific and indigenous knowledge in agricultural land evaluation and soil fertility studies of two villages in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Researchers compared indigenous soil knowledge from 59 small-scale farming households in KwaZulu-Natal with scientific land evaluation methods. Farmers classified soils primarily by color and texture, assessed land suitability mainly through slope position, and evaluated fertility using multiple indicators including crop yield, vegetation, and soil organisms. Farmers' assessments proved more holistic than scientific approaches, yet showed strong correlation with scientific evaluations, demonstrating that indigenous and scientific knowledge systems align on soil management.
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Microfinance and poverty reduction in rural Nigeria
A survey of 281 rural Nigerian households demonstrates that access to microfinance programs delivers measurable social and economic benefits compared to households without access. The study provides empirical evidence supporting microfinance as a poverty reduction tool in rural Africa, with findings applicable to program evaluation across the continent.
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Risk Management, financial innovation and institutional development in rural areas: evidence from the coffee sector in Ethiopia
Rural households in Ethiopia face yield and price risks that constrain their access to finance and economic growth. This study examines risk management in the coffee sector and proposes financial and institutional innovations using market-based instruments. Field research in Ethiopia demonstrates how modern risk management approaches can help coffee growers overcome vulnerability and develop their economic capacity.
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Indigenous Knowledge in Entrepreneurship and Cultural Tourism in the Rural Areas
Indigenous entrepreneurs in rural areas successfully integrate traditional knowledge into their businesses, particularly in cultural tourism, which is growing but remains largely informal. However, these entrepreneurs face significant barriers including inadequate capital, limited access to funding, and discrimination from financial institutions. The study calls for comprehensive support mechanisms to strengthen indigenous entrepreneurship and sustainability practices based on traditional knowledge systems.
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Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Genomics to Improve Poultry: a holistic approach to improve indigenous chicken production focusing on resilience to Newcastle disease
Researchers developed a genetic selection platform to breed indigenous African chickens resistant to Newcastle disease, a major threat to small-scale poultry production. They identified genetic markers and genes conferring resistance through controlled virus challenges, characterized circulating virus strains in Ghana and Tanzania, and assessed farmer demand for improved birds. Results show farmers value both disease resistance and productivity traits like egg production and growth rate.
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Implementation of distance learning IMCI training in rural districts of Tanzania
Tanzania implemented a distance learning model for childhood illness management training in three rural districts. The program combined self-directed learning with brief in-person sessions, successfully training many healthcare workers at low cost and improving their knowledge and competence. However, participants faced technological barriers, work-life conflicts, and insufficient mentorship due to limited funding and transport infrastructure.
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Entrepreneurship and Industrialization for Rural Development: Business Incubation Approach
Business incubators supporting agricultural firms drive rural development in Tanzania by nurturing startups and creating jobs. Government-operated incubators provide managerial advice, accessible finance, facilities, business guidance, export facilitation, networking, and market access. The study of ten incubators shows they significantly impact the economy and job creation. Developing countries should integrate business incubators into policy and strategic planning.
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Corporate governance and firm innovation: Evidence from indigenous oil firms in Sub-Saharan Africa
This study examines how corporate governance affects innovation in indigenous oil firms in Nigeria. The research finds that board effectiveness, commitment, and involvement significantly boost both process innovation and product/service innovation. The findings suggest that strengthening corporate governance practices helps indigenous oil firms remain competitive and sustainable in their sector.
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Women’s Economic Contribution, Relationship Status and Risky Sexual Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from a Microfinance-Plus Programme in Rural South Africa
A study of 626 rural South African women in a microfinance-plus program found that married older women had higher rates of inconsistent condom use, while women contributing all household income reported more multiple sexual partners but less transactional sex. Economic strengthening alone does not reduce sexual risk behaviors; interventions must address broader social and economic drivers alongside income support.
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Impacts of socio-cultural practices on family support system for rural women entrepreneurship development in Nigeria: a comparative analysis
Rural women entrepreneurs in Southwest and Southeast Nigeria receive varying levels of family support, which is significantly shaped by socio-cultural practices. The study found that cultural norms discourage women from passing businesses to their children and limit entrepreneurial growth. The research recommends that husbands challenge restrictive cultural practices to enable family business succession, sustainable economic empowerment, and poverty reduction in rural areas.
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The density of microfinance institutions and multiple borrowing in Ghana: Are rural borrowers vulnerable?
This study examines multiple borrowing patterns in Ghana, finding that 35% of borrowers use multiple microfinance institutions simultaneously. While higher density of MFIs reduces multiple borrowing overall, rural borrowers show greater vulnerability to overlapping loans and respond differently to various institutional features. The findings highlight how MFI expansion affects client sustainability and economic wellbeing.
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Determinants of Rural Households’ Participation in Microfinance Program: The Case of Omo Microfinance Institution, Sodo Woreda, Southern Nations Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State, Ethiopia
Rural households in Ethiopia who participate in microfinance programs earn significantly higher incomes and accumulate more assets than non-participants. Family size, education level, and extension contact increase participation, while dependent members, complex credit procedures, borrowing risk perception, and distance from the lender reduce it. Participants showed better agricultural input use, food consumption, and livestock holdings, demonstrating microfinance's positive impact on rural livelihoods.
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The relationship between a microfinance-based healthcare delivery platform, health insurance coverage, health screenings, and disease management in rural Western Kenya
A microfinance program integrated with health screenings in rural Western Kenya significantly increased rates of health screening for multiple conditions including diabetes and cervical cancer among participants. However, microfinance membership did not improve health insurance uptake or disease management outcomes. The findings suggest that combining microfinance with healthcare delivery can overcome structural barriers to screening access, though additional interventions are needed to improve insurance coverage and disease management in low-resource settings.
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Determinants of rural households participation in microfinance services: The case of Cheliya District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia
Rural households in Ethiopia's Cheliya District participate in microfinance services at rates determined by specific household characteristics. Male-headed households, those with more education, larger cultivated land, more livestock, and frequent contact with extension services participate more. Households with high dependency ratios participate less. The study recommends microfinance institutions design programs to include illiterate households and increase female participation.
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Micro-financing and rural poverty reduction: A case of Rima Microfinance Bank in Goronyo Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria
A microfinance bank in rural Nigeria increased beneficiaries' average income from 47,489 to 115,678 naira and reduced poverty incidence by 6 percent through agricultural credit facilities. The study demonstrates that microfinance effectively alleviates rural poverty when combined with input credit and monitoring. Policymakers should expand credit access and strengthen oversight to maximize productivity gains among rural borrowers.
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Entrepreneurship in the rural context: Practical reflection on success and innovation
Rural entrepreneurs identify key factors driving their success and innovation: strong customer service, hard work, social skills, competitive pricing, and accurate record-keeping. Training helps entrepreneurs avoid common mistakes. The study recommends that government and private sector increase support for rural entrepreneurs to counter the trend of rural-to-urban migration.
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Public Finance and Rural Development in Nigeria: Empirical Evidence from the Structural Equation Modeling
Public finance systems in rural Nigeria fail to effectively fund infrastructure and social amenities that improve quality of life. The study examined nine local government areas in Benue state and found that shared revenue arrangements between state and local governments create serious obstacles to financing rural development projects. The authors recommend restructuring public finance systems at the local government level to enable more efficient and prudent allocation of resources for rural development.
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Exploring the Emergence of Community Support for School and Encouragement of Innovation for Improving Rural School Performance: Lessons Learned at Kitamburo in Tanzania
A rural primary school in Tanzania achieved strong mathematics performance on national exams through community-driven innovation. Community leadership mobilized support for the school, which encouraged teachers to develop new professional practices. The study shows that community leaders, not just school administrators, can catalyze professional learning communities that improve teaching and student outcomes in remote rural settings.
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Optimisation of a TV White Space Broadband Market Model for Rural Entrepreneurs
This paper develops a game-theoretic model for TV white space broadband markets serving rural entrepreneurs. Using Bertrand competition theory, the authors analyze how primary spectrum users compete on price to sell access to secondary users operating mesh routers. The model optimizes inter-operator agreements based on quality-of-service metrics like delay and throughput, comparing outcomes across cost, revenue, and profit parameters to identify competitive equilibria.
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Towards the exploration of renewable energy technologies as an alternative to grid extension for rural electrification in South Africa
This paper evaluates whether standalone renewable energy systems—solar photovoltaic and wind turbines—can economically replace grid extension for rural electrification in South Africa. The analysis finds that solar PV costs are lower than gasoline generators and competitive with grid extension, particularly in areas with sparse populations. Wind energy proves even more cost-competitive in locations with adequate wind resources. The authors conclude both technologies are economically viable for rural electrification and propose policies to support their market development.
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Design and Analyzing of an Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System to Supply Electricity for Rural Areas : Case Study: Atsbi District, North Ethiopia
This paper designs and analyzes an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system to provide electricity to rural areas in Ethiopia's Atsbi District. The system combines multiple renewable sources to address the energy access gap in remote communities where grid connection is impractical or unavailable. The analysis evaluates technical feasibility and performance of the hybrid approach for rural electrification.
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Teachers’ Perceptions on Inclusion of Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Crop Production: A Case Study of Zimbabwe’s Ordinary Level Agriculture Syllabus (5035)
Teachers in Zimbabwe recognize agricultural indigenous knowledge systems but rarely use them formally in crop production classes. While educators believe integrating these practices would promote sustainability and restore cultural identity, significant barriers exist: reliance on oral tradition and perceived inferiority to Western methods. The study recommends harmonizing indigenous and Western agricultural approaches in the curriculum and documenting indigenous knowledge in written form.
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Achieving food security and climate change mitigation through entrepreneurship development in rural Nigeria: Gender perspective
Rural entrepreneurship development in Nigeria can address food security and climate change by supporting integrated food production, processing, and marketing. Women comprise a significant portion of rural agricultural entrepreneurs despite representing only 8% of formal agricultural workers. The paper analyzes Nigeria's agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and conducts cost-benefit analyses to recommend gender-inclusive entrepreneurship strategies that improve food security while reducing climate impacts from farming and livestock production.
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Broadband / future generation network services deployment in rural and remote areas
This paper examines broadband and next-generation network deployment across rural African regions. The authors identify deployment challenges and argue that wireless, wired, and optical technologies should all be pursued to expand rural access. They contend that wireless high-speed internet offers a cost-effective interim solution to bridge the broadband gap, enabling rural communities to access healthcare, government services, education, and business opportunities.
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Gender and renewable energy in rural Nigeria.
Poor women in rural Nigeria rely on traditional biomass fuels that harm their health and wellbeing. Expanding access to renewable energy sources can reduce this burden while advancing multiple development goals: poverty reduction, improved health and education, environmental protection, and women's empowerment.
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Credit unions and rural banks reaching down and out to the rural poor through group-based microfinance
Credit unions and rural banks in West Africa, Ecuador, Madagascar, and the Philippines successfully deliver microfinance to poor rural populations by adopting group-based village banking models. This approach costs less than building new microfinance institutions from scratch and reaches extremely poor women in remote areas. While individual credit unions and rural banks are fragile, spreading risk across many small institutions creates a sustainable system.
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Demand Analysis and Optimization of Renewable Energy: Sustainable Rural Electrification of Mbanayili, Ghana
This case study designs a sustainable electrification system for Mbanayili, Ghana, where 90% of rural residents lack electricity. Researchers surveyed 133 villagers about electricity needs and willingness to pay, then used optimization software to design a hybrid photovoltaic and generator system for a shared community center rather than individual homes. They also explored using locally-produced biofuel and proposed a phased implementation plan using demand management to ensure both financial and environmental sustainability.
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Household access to clean fuels and technologies, rural and urban electrification, renewable energy consumption, and environmental sustainability in Africa
This study analyzes how clean fuel access, electricity access, and renewable energy affect carbon emissions across African countries. The research finds that clean fuel and electricity access paradoxically worsen environmental conditions, while economic growth increases emissions. However, renewable energy consumption improves environmental quality. The authors recommend prioritizing renewable energy electrification to deliver clean electricity and reduce emissions.
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Community participation and the viability of decentralized renewable energy systems: evidence from a hybrid mini-grid in rural South Africa
Community participation strengthens decentralized renewable energy systems in rural areas. This study of a hybrid mini-grid in South Africa found that high technical and social participation improved system maintenance, trust, and resilience. However, women and community members had limited influence in decision-making and economic opportunities. Meaningful participation across governance, technical, economic, and social domains enhances legitimacy, local ownership, and long-term viability of rural energy projects.
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Comprehensive approaches to electrifying rural health facilities: Integrating renewable energy and financial mechanisms in Sub-Saharan Africa
Rural health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa can achieve reliable electricity access by combining renewable energy solutions with innovative financing mechanisms. The study identifies that successful electrification requires coordinated investment from governments, private sector, and development organizations, supported by enabling policy frameworks. This integrated approach makes sustainable energy access for healthcare delivery in underserved regions economically and technically feasible.
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Adoption of technology enhanced teaching and learning innovations during covid-19 lockdown in rural Uganda.
During COVID-19 lockdowns in rural Uganda, students and teachers showed moderate acceptance of technology-enhanced learning. Most learners accessed technology through radios, televisions, and WhatsApp. The study identified barriers including teacher readiness, psychological factors, poverty, management issues, and technical problems. Researchers recommend teacher and student training, providing technology tools, improving internet connectivity, and ensuring reliable electricity.
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South African Rural University Students’ Experiences of Open Distance E-Learning Support
Rural students in South Africa face significant resource and infrastructure barriers to online learning. The study found that mobile phones effectively widen access for these underserved communities, requiring less bandwidth than computers and enabling internet connectivity where it otherwise wouldn't exist. Students used phones to access course materials, attend classes, and build community through social media. Universities must design tailored online support programs that account for students' diverse circumstances rather than assuming uniform access patterns.
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Achieving universal energy access in remote locations using HOMER energy model: a techno-economic and environmental analysis of hybrid microgrid systems for rural electrification in northeast Nigeria
Researchers designed and modeled a hybrid solar-battery-generator microgrid system for a remote Nigerian village using HOMER software. The system achieves 99% renewable energy penetration at $0.093 per kilowatt-hour, with minimal environmental impact. Sensitivity analysis shows the system adapts well to diesel price increases and scales effectively across different population sizes, offering a practical pathway for rural electrification in underserved regions.
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Challenges of Women Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa: Evidence from Rural Areas
Women entrepreneurs in rural South Africa face three major barriers to business expansion: limited access to finance, insufficient education, and poor infrastructure. The study surveyed 250 female business owners in northern KwaZulu-Natal and found these obstacles are surmountable through alternative financing, targeted training programs, and infrastructure investment. Addressing these challenges could empower women entrepreneurs, drive rural economic growth, and reduce poverty.
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Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Agricultural Growth in South Africa: A Case of Disaneng Community in the Ratlou Local Municipality
Indigenous knowledge systems in South Africa's Disaneng community drive agricultural growth through proven practices in land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility management, and crop storage. Local farmers possess deep understanding of weather patterns and seasonal timing. Religious beliefs and cultural dismissal of traditional practices create barriers to wider adoption. The study recommends targeted interventions to preserve and promote indigenous agricultural knowledge for sustained productivity gains.
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Bridging the Urban-Rural Broadband Connectivity Gap using 5G Enabled HAPs Communication Exploiting TVWS Spectrum
This paper proposes using 5G-enabled high-altitude platforms (HAPs) and television white space (TVWS) spectrum to close broadband connectivity gaps between urban and rural areas. The approach leverages unused TV frequencies and aerial communication platforms to deliver internet access to underserved rural regions, offering a practical technical solution to rural digital inequality.
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Enacting aspirational rural schooling towards sustainable futures: exploring students’ ethnographic imaginations implications for place-based pedagogy
Rural students in Ghana have limited career aspirations shaped primarily by their immediate environment. The study shows that place-based pedagogy can improve educational outcomes by integrating indigenous apprenticeship methods and local skills with global opportunities. Teachers must become geographically sensitive and help students connect their community knowledge to broader possibilities while respecting their home cultural capital.
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Solar powered vaccine refrigerator for rural off-grid areas in Nigeria
Nigerian researchers designed an affordable solar-powered vaccine refrigerator system for rural off-grid health facilities. The system uses a 100W solar panel, battery storage, and charge controller to power a 75W refrigerator holding 50 litres of vaccine, costing approximately N135,000 per health centre. This replaces unreliable diesel generators and enables reliable vaccine storage in remote areas, potentially reducing infant and maternal mortality.
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Assessing the asymmetric linkages between foreign direct investments and indigenous innovation in developing countries: A non-linear panel auto-regressive distributed lag approach
Foreign direct investment and indigenous innovation in developing countries have an asymmetric relationship. Increases in FDI boost innovation, while decreases in FDI reduce innovation output. However, FDI declines do not suppress positive innovation changes already underway. The study analyzed 20 developing countries from 1993 to 2017 using non-linear methods, revealing that policymakers must account for these asymmetries when designing development strategies.
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Recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural areas is a major, worldwide concern. Medical education has integrated community-oriented medical education strategies to help address these challenges. This study explored medical trainees' preferences regarding place of work and choice of specialty after completing training using either the traditional or mixed Problem-Based Learning/Community-Based Education and Service curriculum in Ghanaian medical schools
Medical students in Ghana trained using problem-based learning combined with community-based education and service reported significantly better preparation for rural practice than those in traditional programs. Seventy-four percent of students in the innovative curriculum felt adequately prepared for rural work, compared to just thirty-five percent in traditional training. Students in traditional programs called for curriculum reforms incorporating rural outreach to increase their interest in rural practice.
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Designers' and indigenous potters' collaboration towards innovation in pottery production
Designers and indigenous potters in Ghana collaborated to innovate pottery production while preserving cultural identity. Female potters with 25+ years experience and young men using improvised machinery adopted design thinking and new production methods. Through creative skills development, potters maintained cultural consciousness and satisfaction while producing culturally relevant, market-appealing products that reflected contemporary life.
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Documenting Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge and provision of access through Online Database platform
Rural communities in Uganda possess valuable agricultural indigenous knowledge that faces extinction due to environmental and cultural changes. This study documented AIK practices across three districts and created an online database platform to preserve and share this knowledge. The researchers trained field assistants to collect data from farmers, validated findings through community workshops, and built a digital system to prevent loss of traditional agricultural expertise and problem-solving strategies.
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The nexus between R&D, innovation and profitability of indigenous oil firms: A structural equilibrium model approach
Research and development spending directly boosts profitability in Nigerian oil companies and works indirectly through both technological and non-technological innovation. Technological innovation delivers stronger indirect effects than non-technological innovation. Indigenous oil firms maximize profits by investing in R&D alongside both innovation types rather than choosing one approach alone.
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Sustainability and development impacts of off-grid electrification in developing countries : An assessment of South Africa's rural electrification program
South Africa's rural electrification program and similar initiatives across southern Africa succeed when they combine appropriate technology with strong government support, progressive tariff systems, and sufficient energy capacity for income-generating activities. Hybrid hydro mini-grids prove most cost-effective. Programs fail without adequate spare parts supply, capable management, and designs that account for existing businesses and population growth. Cross-subsidies from high-income users sustain service for low-income households.
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Stem Barks and Roots Extravitism in Ekiti State Nigeria: Need for Conservation as a Sustainable Innovation in Healthcare Management in Rural Areas
Rural communities in Ekiti State, Nigeria rely heavily on botanical stem and root extracts for healthcare, viewing them as safer and cheaper than conventional medicine. However, most medicinal species are wild-harvested unsustainably and face depletion from deforestation. The paper argues that conservation of these indigenous species is essential to maintain rural healthcare access and sustainability.
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Actor networks and innovation activities among rural enterprises in a South African locality
Rural enterprises in South Africa benefit significantly from actor networks that facilitate access to innovation knowledge and practices. The study finds that both private and non-profit rural businesses rely on face-to-face interactions and informal knowledge-sharing arrangements rather than formal contracts. These networks enable rural enterprises to access internal and external innovation know-how, supporting local development despite geographic isolation and resource constraints.
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Mobile Women: Investigating the Digital Gender Divide in Cellphone Use in a South African Rural Area
Rural women in South Africa's Eastern Cape actively embrace mobile phones to bridge digital divides, contrary to patterns observed in developed countries. While socio-economic barriers still limit access and use, women lead adoption in their community. The research combines focus groups and interviews to reveal how gender shapes mobile phone use in this resource-constrained rural area.
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Renewable energy technology means of providing sustainable electricity in Nigerian rural areas: a review.
Nigeria's rural areas lack electricity access for over 65% of the population, causing economic decline and migration. This review examines renewable energy technologies as sustainable alternatives to failed fossil fuel systems. Biomass, hydro, and solar sources are viable for rural Nigeria, but implementation remains extremely low due to absent energy policy, government neglect, and low purchasing power. The authors recommend whole-life costing analysis to optimize economic performance.
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Comprehensive Country Ranking for Renewable Energy Based Mini-Grids Providing Rural off-Grid Electrification
Renewable energy mini-grids can bring electricity to rural areas without grid connections. The authors identify key conditions needed for sustainable business models in this sector and rank countries globally by their suitability. Rwanda and Peru emerge as top candidates with favorable conditions for deploying renewable mini-grids to rural populations. The ranking helps entrepreneurs and investors identify where to launch electrification projects.
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Telecom Policy Innovation: the Role of Free Spectrum and Telecommunication Development in Rural Ghana
Ghana's rural areas lack adequate telecommunications infrastructure despite the technology's economic importance. The paper argues that free spectrum policies can incentivize small telecom operators to expand services into underserved rural regions. Using Ghana as a case study, the author demonstrates how spectrum allocation policies can drive universal access to telecommunications across sub-Saharan Africa.
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Microfinance in Ghana : A Comparative Study of Performance of the Formal versus Informal Rural Financial Institutions
Formal banks in Ghana increasingly compete with traditional microfinance institutions to serve microenterprises, but hesitation remains high. This study compares their performance using survey data from rural financial institutions. Formal banks cite profitability as their main incentive but fear high transaction costs and borrower risk. Informal institutions outperform formal ones at reducing defaults. Collateral reduces non-performing loans, while women-focused lenders perform better. Rural location and high lending rates increase default risk.
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Microfinance Self-Sustainability and Outreach in Uganda: A Case of Teso Rural Development Trust Limited
Microfinance institutions in Uganda reach rural populations underserved by commercial banks through group lending and solidarity guarantees. This study examined Teso Rural Development Trust Limited's financial self-sustainability and outreach to poor clients between 1998 and 2003. The institution was heavily dependent on external funding, unprofitable, and not self-sustainable. Its outreach favored non-poor clients over the poorest populations, indicating that regulatory improvements and operational efficiency gains were needed to achieve both financial sustainability and meaningful poverty reduction.
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Rural Energy Poverty: An Investigation into Socioeconomic Drivers and Implications for Off-Grid Households in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
This study examines energy poverty among off-grid households in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, identifying key socioeconomic drivers. Female-headed households face greater vulnerability to energy poverty, while larger households experience less. Education alone does not improve energy access due to infrastructure gaps. Social grant dependency correlates strongly with energy poverty. The research calls for gender-responsive policies addressing both infrastructure and socioeconomic barriers to energy access in rural areas.
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The role of agriculture for achieving renewable energy-centered sustainable development objectives in rural Africa
This paper models how renewable energy and agricultural development interact in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Using integrated assessment models linking water, energy, and agriculture, the authors show that expanding irrigation and agricultural productivity makes renewable energy infrastructure more economically viable and helps achieve universal energy access. They also analyze business models and policy conditions needed to make small-scale renewable energy systems feasible for rural development.
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Advances in the Design of Renewable Energy Power Supply for Rural Health Clinics, Case Studies, and Future Directions
Rural health clinics in remote areas lack reliable electricity from national grids, compromising healthcare quality and staff recruitment. This paper reviews renewable energy solutions for isolated clinics worldwide, examining modeling techniques, battery storage systems, and microgrid maintenance approaches. The authors recommend analytical standards and procedures to optimize sustainable power supply for remote healthcare facilities.
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Off-grid photovoltaic-powered capacitive deionization for groundwater desalination in rural Africa
Researchers developed and tested an off-grid water purification system combining solar panels with capacitive deionization technology for rural Uganda. The system successfully desalinated groundwater to meet drinking water standards while operating entirely on solar power, achieving over 60% salt removal and low energy consumption. This innovation provides a practical, modular solution for households lacking access to centralized water and electricity infrastructure.
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Replicating the suitability rule and economic theory in pursuit of microfinance inclusion of women micro-agribusinesses in rural financial markets
Microfinance banks in rural Uganda can improve women micro-agribusiness survival by 29 percentage points when they offer financial products tailored to borrowers' economic conditions. Customized loan products enable poor women farmers to generate sufficient income for timely repayment and business operations. Microfinance institutions should adopt personalized pricing models and product design strategies to reduce loan defaults and increase financial inclusion among rural agricultural entrepreneurs.
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Using I-Hubs for Bridging The Gap of Digital Divide in Rural Kenya
Innovation hubs in Kenya bridge the digital divide by providing rural residents with internet access, mentorship, and resources to develop ideas and innovations. The research shows these hubs successfully connect previously excluded communities to digital economy opportunities. However, the government must establish more hubs in underserved rural areas to expand digital business development and increase ICT-driven GDP growth.
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Re-centring and recovering knowledge about climate-friendly agriculture: Learning from a woman African indigenous knowledge holder
An African indigenous knowledge holder taught fifteen science teachers climate-friendly agricultural practices, including animal manure use, manual soil turning, crop rotation, and medicinal plant cultivation. Teachers documented learning through portfolios and reflections. The intervention challenged conventional hierarchies about legitimate scientific knowledge and teachers, advancing epistemic justice while enabling educators to transcend curriculum boundaries and teach sustainable food production methods rooted in Southern knowledge systems.
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Rural Electrification and the Uptake of Renewable Energy in Nigeria: Lessons from Kenya
Nigeria's rural electrification programs fail to achieve meaningful renewable energy adoption due to four key barriers: insufficient funding, high upfront technology costs, lack of community involvement, and no dedicated agency to drive renewable energy promotion. Without addressing these obstacles, rural electricity access will remain limited. Kenya's experience offers comparative lessons for overcoming these challenges.
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America or India: Identifying a Suitable Off-Grid Rural Electrification Model for Nigeria.
Nigeria's rural electrification lags because grid expansion is slow and centralized. This paper compares American and Indian approaches to rural electrification. America built a robust national grid, while India rapidly expanded rural access through decentralized, renewable energy-based off-grid systems. India's model proves faster and more effective for rural electrification in developing countries like Nigeria.
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Financial Intermediation by Microfinance Banks in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Financial Intermediation Theoretical Approach
Microfinance banks in rural Uganda improve financial inclusion of poor households through two key mechanisms: market penetration and service quality. These factors together explain 22 percent of variation in financial inclusion. Both dimensions independently show significant positive effects on bringing poor rural households into the formal financial system. The study recommends policies strengthening financial intermediaries in rural sub-Saharan Africa where traditional banks are scarce.
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Off-grid rural electrification using integrated renewable energy sources
This study evaluates hybrid renewable energy systems for off-grid rural electrification in Nsukka, Nigeria. Researchers designed an optimal system combining solar panels, wind turbines, and biodiesel generators to meet a school's annual electricity demand. The resulting hybrid system—1kW solar, biodiesel generator, and battery storage—produces electricity at $0.0898/kWh, significantly cheaper than grid extension at $0.126/kWh. The 25-year system proves economically viable, technically feasible, and environmentally sustainable.
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Optimization of a Micro-grid with Solar PV, Wind Energy and Battery Storage Hybrid System for an agro-based off-grid rural landscape
This paper optimizes a hybrid renewable energy system combining solar PV, wind turbines, and battery storage for off-grid rural agricultural communities. Using HOMER Pro software, the authors determine the most cost-effective sizing of components to reliably power both residential loads and irrigation systems in remote areas, addressing the gap between variable renewable supply and agricultural demand.
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The Role of Microfinance in Climate Change Adaptation: Evidence from Rural Rwanda
Microloans from Urwego Bank help Rwandan farmers increase agricultural productivity and income by providing access to seeds and fertilizer, strengthening their ability to cope with climate impacts like drought and erratic rainfall. However, loans alone do not fund broader climate adaptations like irrigation or contour digging. While cooperatives and VSLAs create safety nets, they risk deepening socio-economic inequality. The bank's informal flexibility on repayment during poor harvests raises questions about long-term financial sustainability as climate impacts intensify.
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Smallholder farmers' intention to adopt microfinance services in rural areas of Tanzania - a behavioural study
Tanzanian smallholder farmers show low adoption of microfinance services despite their potential to boost productivity. This study identifies key behavioral drivers: perceived benefits, subjective norms, attitude, and perceived behavioral control all increase farmers' intention to adopt microfinance. Perceived barriers reduce adoption intent. The research recommends improving financial literacy training, redesigning group-lending models to reduce individual risk, lowering interest rates, and creating financial products tailored to rural farmers' actual needs.
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‘A whole new world opened up’: the impact of place and space-based professional development on one rural South Africa primary school
A professional development program in a rural South African primary school transformed teachers' literacy instruction practices toward more culturally responsive approaches. Students' reading skills improved as teachers deepened their pedagogical knowledge. The study identifies three key characteristics of effective professional development: it must be place-based and ongoing, treated as a continuous process, and embedded within social relationships and real material practices rather than isolated training.
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Design of a cost effective hybrid renewable energy system for coastal and inland rural community in Africa
Rural communities in Southern Africa lack electricity access due to distance from the grid and high connection costs. This paper designs off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems for two remote areas—one coastal, one inland—using optimization modeling. Solar-wind systems with storage work best for coastal Mbandana, while solar-biomass systems with storage suit inland Dikgomo, providing cost-effective and reliable local power generation.
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A techno economic renewable hybrid technology mini-grid simulation and costing model for off-grid rural electrification planning in Sub-Saharan Africa
This paper presents a simulation model for designing cost-optimal hybrid renewable mini-grids for rural electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa. The model uses hourly operational simulations with meteorological data, local demand profiles, and technology costs to determine the best combination of renewable energy technologies for specific locations. The tool is transparent, reproducible, and uses free software and data, enabling practical planning for the hundreds of thousands of mini-grids needed to achieve universal electricity access.
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The Challenges Confronting Small Scale Businesses in accessing Microfinance Services from MFIs Case Study: Rural Tanzania
Small-scale businesses in rural Tanzania access microfinance services but face significant barriers. The study of 195 businesses in Mvomero district found that while microfinance institutions help businesses develop and expand, strict requirements and inflexible lending practices obstruct access. The research recommends that microfinance institutions adopt more flexible terms and that governments establish supportive legal and financial frameworks to enable financing for new ventures.
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Techno-economic analysis of an off-grid micro-hydrokinetic river system for remote rural electrification
This study evaluates off-grid micro-hydrokinetic systems as a cost-effective electricity solution for remote rural communities near flowing water without grid access. The researchers develop a mathematical model to simulate system performance under various conditions and validate results using a test prototype. The analysis demonstrates the economic and environmental benefits of this emerging technology for rural electrification.
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Broadband internet access for rural Africa: finding a viable model
Rural Africa lacks broadband internet despite cellular growth. This paper models the relationships between market, technology, and financial factors to determine viable broadband delivery. Satellite communications emerge as the most suitable technology. The authors define a cost-effective satellite service offering and argue that innovative billing models—similar to those that enabled cellular success in Africa—are critical for financial viability and rural economic integration.
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Animal Health Management perspectives of rural livestock farmers in Southwest Nigeria: The place of community based Animal Health Workers
Rural livestock farmers in southwest Nigeria rely on community-based animal health workers, indigenous healers, and Fulani pastoralist healers because modern veterinarians are expensive, unreliable, and inaccessible. Farmers rate modern practitioners as more effective but prefer local healers for availability and affordability. The study confirms that community-based animal health workers can effectively address the major livestock health problems farmers face, including disease and production losses.
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Innovations in the Indigenous Textile Weaving Firms in Southwestern Nigeria
This study surveyed 300 small-scale textile weaving firms in southwestern Nigeria to examine technology innovations and their drivers. Most firms reported product innovations, while few adopted process or organizational changes. Male weavers predominantly used horizontal looms and females used vertical looms, with 96% relying on manual production. The research identified critical barriers: 58% lacked technical skills, 87% had no technical education, and 59% faced funding shortages. These deficits constrain firms' ability to adopt modern techniques and innovate.
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Utilisation of renewable energy sources in deep rural areas
The paper evaluates renewable energy sources for rural electrification by developing a computer program to match energy source characteristics with rural load profiles cost-effectively. The analysis compares unitary and hybrid systems, finding that hydroelectric sources prove most cost-effective for the studied loads, while solar and wind systems require prohibitively high capital investments.
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Back to basics: the role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in agro-biodiversity and household food security in the smallholder agriculture sector: the case of Chipinge (Zimbabwe)
Indigenous knowledge systems in Zimbabwe's Chipinge district sustain agro-biodiversity and food security among smallholder farmers. Between 1994 and 2002, agro-biodiversity declined over 50%, with smaller farms maintaining greater diversity. Older farmers and female-headed households conserved more crop types and varieties than younger and male-headed households, demonstrating that traditional knowledge practices directly support agricultural resilience and household nutrition.
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Digital Inclusive Finance and Farmer Entrepreneurship: Pathways to Sustainable Development in Rural Ghana
Digital financial services significantly boost farmer entrepreneurship in rural Ghana, increasing entrepreneurial activity by 10-49% depending on the analytical method. Access to digital finance, digital literacy, and household income all drive farmers to adopt entrepreneurial approaches. The study recommends governments invest in digital infrastructure, reduce transaction costs, and fund digital literacy programs to promote rural entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
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Digital Divide or Digital Bridge? Evaluating the Impact of ICT Integration in South Africa’s Rural Schools
South Africa's policy to integrate ICT into rural schools through laptops and tablets has failed to bridge the digital divide. Teachers lack training to use these technologies effectively, and implementation remains uneven, favoring urban smart schools over rural ones. The study recommends comprehensive teacher training, wider device distribution to primary schools, curriculum reform, and independent professional development to achieve meaningful ICT integration across all schools.
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Economic optimization of hybrid renewable energy resources for rural electrification
Researchers used the bat algorithm to optimize hybrid renewable energy systems for rural electrification in Kalema village, comparing it against diesel-only and genetic algorithm approaches. The bat algorithm reduced energy costs by 45.6% and carbon emissions by 62.2% compared to diesel generators alone, outperforming the genetic algorithm on both metrics. This demonstrates that optimized hybrid renewable systems are more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable than traditional diesel generation for rural areas.
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Demonstration of the potential use of off-grid renewable energy in agricultural production in rural Uganda
Rural Ugandan farmers have widely adopted off-grid renewable energy technologies—particularly solar—for agricultural production, with women showing higher adoption rates. Solar powers irrigation and crop drying, while biogas and charcoal briquettes support diverse farming activities. Farmers report time savings, improved health, and income gains, though high upfront costs and limited awareness remain barriers. Scaling requires coordinated support from government, NGOs, and private sectors to fund technology acquisition and build local capacity.
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The temporalities and externalities of ancillary infrastructure in large-scale renewable energy projects: Insights from the rural periphery
Large-scale renewable energy projects require ancillary infrastructure like roads, worker camps, and water systems that create distinct social and environmental impacts separate from the power plants themselves. In rural peripheral areas of the Global South, these infrastructures can harm communities but also provide significant benefits. The authors develop a framework analyzing how ancillary infrastructure's timing and externalities affect local acceptance, using a Kenyan geothermal project as a case study, and offer policy recommendations to maximize positive outcomes.
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Navigating emergent effects in off-grid systems: Ostrom's design principles and rural energy policy implications
This study examines how Ostrom's Design Principles work in governing rural off-grid energy systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using systems thinking and feedback analysis, the research identifies emergent problems—poor infrastructure access, weak local economies, and community disengagement—that undermine the framework's effectiveness. The author maps reinforcing feedback loops driving governance failures and proposes balancing strategies to improve sustainability, concluding that integrating Ostrom's principles with broader external support is essential for long-term viability of community-owned off-grid systems.
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A techno-economic model for future deployment of fixed broadband services to stimulate development across rural Africa
This paper develops a techno-economic model for deploying fixed broadband services across rural Africa. The authors analyze capital and operating costs for terrestrial and high-altitude platform networks, then simulate deployment scenarios. They find that broadband expansion is financially feasible in rural Africa, with high-altitude platforms proving more cost-effective than ground-based networks. The model provides cost estimates per person and household.
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Evaluation innovation in Africa: Towards indigenously responsive evaluation (IRE) philosophies, methods and practices in Ghana
This study examines how indigenous Ghanaian cultural values, social structures, and knowledge systems can inform evaluation practices. The researchers found that traditional evaluative approaches embedded in community norms, relational patterns, and cultural wisdom offer valuable dimensions that contemporary evaluation frameworks should incorporate. These indigenous evaluative impulses can enhance and deepen modern evaluation philosophies and practices in Ghana.
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Off-Grid Renewable Energy Solutions for Agro-Rural Community Development in Nigeria
Nigeria faces severe energy access deficits despite abundant renewable resources. This study identifies off-grid renewable energy solutions—solar, biomass, hydro, and wind technologies—as cost-effective alternatives that can significantly enhance rural electrification and development in Nigerian agricultural communities.
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Does access to credit promote the use of modern energy services? Evidence from rural Nigeria
Credit access modestly increases rural Nigerian households' adoption of modern energy services, particularly electric lighting, phone charging, and fan ventilation. Formal and cooperative loans prove more effective than informal credit. However, credit alone cannot drive energy transitions—household wealth, education, and infrastructure type significantly influence adoption patterns, indicating that financial access must combine with broader socioeconomic improvements.
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Review of Planning and Optimization of the Renewable-Energy-Based Micro-Grid for Rural Electrification
Renewable-energy microgrids offer a practical solution for rural electrification, addressing gaps in traditional power infrastructure. The review examines technical and economic aspects of microgrid design, sizing, and renewable energy integration. Microgrids enhance reliability and efficiency in areas lacking centralized grid access, reducing dependency on vulnerable centralized systems while supporting long-term energy stability and sustainability.
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Unveiling determinants of household lighting preferences in rural Tanzania: insights for sustainable energy access
This study analyzes household lighting choices among 4,671 rural Tanzanian households using regression modeling. Older household heads and larger families are less likely to choose grid electricity. Married households prefer candles, while employed heads favor modern solutions. Higher income increases electricity and candle adoption but not solar energy uptake. The findings show that socio-economic factors—employment, income, education, and household composition—drive lighting technology choices and should guide policy efforts to expand sustainable energy access.
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Sustainability of Africa through technological innovations and indigenous knowledge systems: a discussion of key factors and way forward
African sustainable development requires integrating indigenous knowledge systems and philosophical frameworks like Ubuntu with contemporary technological innovation, rather than adopting purely Western-imposed models. The authors argue that higher education institutions must bridge indigenous knowledge practices with global development approaches, shifting away from narratives that position Africa as deficient and toward locally grounded solutions that add value to African resources while preserving the environment.
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Towards a low-cost sustainable broadband solution in rural areas of low and middle-income countries: Tanzania’s backhaul perspective
This paper compares microwave and broadband over power line (BPL) technologies for rural backhaul infrastructure in Tanzania. Both technologies deliver adequate broadband capacity, but BPL costs significantly less—one microwave link costs roughly six times more than a BPL link. The findings suggest BPL offers a more economically viable solution for extending broadband to remote rural areas in low and middle-income countries.
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Advancing agriculture through Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in South African indigenous or black communities
South African indigenous communities developed sophisticated agricultural practices through traditional knowledge systems long before modern globalization. This qualitative study demonstrates that indigenous farming, harvesting, and related practices were effective and sustainable without relying on Western approaches. The research argues for recognizing and valuing these traditional knowledge systems rather than exclusively crediting modern, neoliberal agricultural methods.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: Advancing Equitable Internet Access in Rural Kenya for Sustainable Development
Kenya has achieved 85% internet penetration through cellular networks and government initiatives, but rural areas remain underserved due to infrastructure gaps, high costs, and low digital literacy. The paper evaluates connectivity models including community networks, wireless ISPs, and satellite internet, identifying affordability and regulatory barriers as persistent challenges. It proposes integrated strategies combining infrastructure investment, affordable services, and digital literacy programs through government, private sector, and community collaboration to achieve equitable rural access.
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Place-based rural health professional pre-registration education programs: a scoping review
Place-based health professional education programs train students in rural communities to address healthcare workforce shortages. A review of 138 programs across 12 countries identified four training models: short-term placements, extended placements, rural campuses, and distributed blended learning. Programs recruit local students, engage communities in selection and delivery, and evaluate graduate work locations and access outcomes. Successful programs combine widening educational access, comprehensive design, and community engagement aligned with social accountability.
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Analysis of Renewable Energy Deployment and Investment for Rural Health Facility Electrification: A Case Study of Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda
Poor electricity access in rural health facilities across Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda undermines healthcare delivery and increases child mortality. The study examines how renewable energy investments and financing models can electrify these facilities. Findings show investment approaches vary by country, and decision-makers should develop public-private partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms to deploy renewable energy systems in rural health centers, supported by stronger collaboration between financial and health institutions.
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Rural Communities Access to Clean Cooking Fuels, Energy and Technologies: Socioeconomic Implications and Progress Toward Sustainable Development
This study analyzes data from 43 African countries between 2000 and 2023 to examine how rural access to clean cooking fuels and technologies affects sustainable development and socioeconomic outcomes. Results show that increased rural access to clean cooking energy significantly improves both sustainable development and socioeconomic conditions, with a 1% increase in access raising socioeconomic outcomes by 1.43%. The research recommends governments reduce commercialization timelines, provide subsidies and tax incentives, and establish supportive financing policies for clean cooking energy adoption.
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Planning off-grid rural electrification with MicroGridsPy: The case of Dugub, Nigeria
Solar photovoltaic mini-grids with battery storage and backup generators offer the most cost-effective solution for rural electrification in remote areas. Using optimization modeling in Dugub, Nigeria, researchers found that a hybrid system with capacity expansion achieves 94.7% renewable energy penetration while minimizing costs and emissions. The study demonstrates that appropriately sized solar mini-grids are viable alternatives to grid extension when supported by policy and stakeholder engagement.
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Experimental 3E analysis of a biomass gasification plant for off-grid electrification in rural Ghana
Researchers tested a biomass gasification plant using peanut shells to generate electricity and heat in rural Ghana. The system achieved 20.6% electrical efficiency and 60.2% combined heat and power efficiency. Exergy analysis showed the genset caused the largest energy losses at 35.9%, while the gas conditioning unit was highly efficient. The electricity cost of $0.05/kWh makes this technology competitive with diesel generators for off-grid rural areas, demonstrating peanut shells as a viable renewable energy feedstock.
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Adapting to climate change amidst innovation diffusion and declining indigenous agricultural knowledge and practices in Ghana
Small-scale farmers in Ghana adapt to climate change by combining indigenous agricultural practices with externally promoted technologies, though adoption rates vary. Traditional methods like planting drought-resistant crops remain relevant, while some farmers integrate modern practices based on available knowledge and resources. Technology diffusion occurs unevenly across communities, shaped by lived experience and local conditions. Younger, educated farmers adopt modern approaches more readily, while older farmers navigate both traditional and new methods. The findings suggest governments should engage farmers by recognizing existing knowledge systems alongside innovation.
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Bridging Tradition and Innovation: Incorporating Indigenous Engineering Practices into Ghana’s Secondary School Curriculum
Ghana's secondary schools ignore indigenous knowledge systems in engineering education, making the subject feel disconnected from students' lives. This study surveyed students, teachers, curriculum developers, and local artisans to test whether incorporating indigenous technologies like mud construction and kente weaving into engineering curricula would improve engagement. Respondents strongly supported the integration. The research proposes a culturally responsive engineering model that connects formal schooling with indigenous practices, requiring curriculum redesign, teacher training, and community partnerships.
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Integration of E-Learning Platforms in Moroccan Higher Education: Assessing the Technological Leap and Addressing the Digital Divide Among Urban and Rural Students
Morocco's higher education institutions adopted e-learning platforms to modernize education, but the technology created disparities between urban and rural students. The study found significant gaps in internet connectivity and device access, with rural students facing greater barriers. E-learning improved student engagement and academic performance overall, yet rural students benefited less. The researchers recommend upgrading digital infrastructure, providing financial aid, and strengthening digital literacy programs to ensure equitable access across regions.
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Impact of Innovation and Agricultural Cooperative Societies towards Ecological Equilibrium Among Rural Farmers in Kenya.
Agricultural cooperatives in Kenya drive agroecological innovation that strengthens farming resilience to climate change while protecting ecosystems. Cooperatives enable small-scale farmers to adopt ecology-based practices, create production chains, include marginalized groups, and build local markets. This approach combines farmer knowledge with scientific expertise to deliver locally appropriate solutions that improve livelihoods, food security, and environmental protection simultaneously.
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Indigenous Knowledge System and Agricultural Drought Adaptation in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal
Small-scale farmers in South Africa's uMkhanyakude District use indigenous knowledge systems to adapt to agricultural drought, which severely reduces crop yields and livestock. The study reveals that gender norms intensify drought impacts differently for men and women. Indigenous practices prove effective for building resilience, yet policy typically ignores them in favor of Western approaches. The research calls for culturally grounded, equitable adaptation strategies that address structural inequalities rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
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A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF URBAN AND RURAL BROADBAND PENETRATION AND ACCESS TRENDS IN SOUTH AFRICA
This paper compares broadband penetration and access patterns between urban and rural areas in South Africa. The authors examine how broadband connectivity differences affect socio-economic development opportunities, highlighting the disparities in ICT access between these regions and their implications for development outcomes.
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The importance of education innovation and degree of innovative practices by principals in rural secondary schools in South Africa
Rural secondary school principals in South Africa's Vhembe District understand the importance of educational innovation and actively implement new leadership and management practices to improve student achievement. The study surveyed 70 principals and found they recognize innovation's role in enhancing instruction quality and school performance, despite obstacles facing rural schools. These findings suggest that promoting educational innovation can strengthen learner outcomes and education quality in rural South African secondary schools.
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Augmented Reality for Teaching Storytelling in a Rural Foundation Phase Primary School: Integrating a Place-Based Approach
This study combined augmented reality technology with place-based teaching to improve storytelling instruction in a rural South African primary school. Teachers and students using AR-enhanced activities showed greater motivation, engagement, and problem-solving skills compared to traditional instruction. The research demonstrates that technology-integrated, team-based learning approaches significantly improve literacy outcomes in rural classroom settings.
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Renewable energy adoption and rural livelihoods in Ethiopia
A study in Ethiopia shows that subsidizing biogas digesters by 10% shifts household energy use toward renewable sources and reallocates labor from fuelwood collection to farming. The subsidy increases net household incomes by 0.93% for wealthier households and 3.44% for poorer ones, with benefits exceeding program costs. Crop production patterns remain largely unchanged despite competition for resources.
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Optimal capacity configuration of PV water pumping system for off-grid rural communities
This paper develops a techno-economic method to optimally size photovoltaic water pumping systems for off-grid rural communities. The approach determines the best combination of solar panel capacity and water storage tank volume while accounting for solar radiation variability and system reliability. Applied to a village in Egypt's Western Desert, the method balances lifecycle costs against water supply reliability, offering practical solutions for rural areas lacking electrical grid access.
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Process Innovation Capability and Performance of Indigenous Oil and Gas Companies in South-South, Nigeria
This study examined 33 indigenous oil and gas companies in Nigeria's South-South region and found that process innovation capability directly improves company performance, measured by sales volume, profitability, and growth. Market innovation also drives performance. The research recommends that management adopt policies supporting process innovation and invest in strategies that optimize human resources, resource mobilization, and monitoring to enhance operational efficiency.
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Agriculture Teachers’ Perceptions on the Inclusion of Indigenous Technical Knowledge in Secondary School Agriculture Curriculum, Nakuru County, Kenya
Agriculture teachers in Nakuru County, Kenya recognize the value of indigenous technical knowledge in farming. Over 50% of teachers are aware of indigenous crop and livestock practices and view them as cheap, reliable, and enriching. Most teachers support including this knowledge in secondary school agriculture curriculum because it equips students with practical, diverse farming skills. Some teachers resist inclusion, citing curriculum overcrowding and outdated practices.
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Bridging the digital divide: a comparative study of digital literacy and access in rural communities in China and Nigeria
Rural communities in China and Nigeria face significant digital divides shaped by infrastructure, policy, and socioeconomic factors. Nigeria experiences greater barriers to digital access and literacy than China, particularly among older populations. The study reveals that policy responses and living standards differ markedly between countries. Culturally and linguistically tailored digital literacy campaigns targeting older rural residents could improve digital inclusion and access.
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Bridging the digital financial divide: the role of financial literacy in rural–urban disparities in mobile money account ownership in Tanzania
Financial literacy is a major driver of rural-urban disparities in mobile money adoption in Tanzania, accounting for 22.6% of the ownership gap. While digital infrastructure has expanded, capability to use these services remains unequally distributed. Higher-income users convert financial knowledge into adoption more effectively than poorer groups. Addressing inequalities requires integrating targeted financial literacy programs into digital finance policy alongside infrastructure expansion.
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Determinants of solar energy access in urban and rural areas of Ethiopia: implications for equitable climate transitions
This study analyzes solar energy adoption across Ethiopia using nationally representative household data and spatial analysis. Rural adoption is driven by necessity—older male heads in areas without grid electricity—while urban adoption reflects choice among younger, wealthier residents. Peer effects play minimal roles; instead, institutional programs and market interventions shape adoption patterns. The findings show that equitable clean energy transitions require different strategies tailored to rural and urban contexts.
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Indigenous knowledge for innovation and sustainable livelihood in Ghana’s informal economy
Indigenous knowledge drives innovation in Ghana's informal economy. A study of 300 informal-sector workers found that 90% rely on indigenous knowledge, with 85% using it to develop new products and services. Apprenticeship and museum archives best preserve this knowledge. Indigenous knowledge significantly improves food security, health, and environmental sustainability. However, lack of government support and poor integration with modern technology remain major barriers. The research demonstrates indigenous knowledge is essential for grassroots innovation but needs stronger policy backing.
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Bridging the digital divide: exploring undergraduate students’ experiences with learning management systems in a rural South African University
Undergraduate students at a rural South African university face significant barriers to using learning management systems, including poor digital infrastructure, limited digital literacy, and inconsistent faculty engagement. While students recognize potential benefits like learning flexibility, their actual experience depends heavily on institutional support for technology and culturally responsive teaching. The study recommends infrastructure improvements, digital training, and pedagogical integration to bridge the digital divide in under-resourced settings.
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Navigating the digital divide in open distance and e-learning: perspectives from urban and rural student teachers
Rural student teachers in South Africa face significant barriers to digital learning compared to urban peers, including unreliable internet, limited resources, and weak institutional support. Rural teachers rely on mobile tools and self-directed learning while urban students access advanced platforms and structured training. Closing this digital divide requires more than devices—it demands targeted digital literacy training, mentorship programs, and infrastructure improvements to enable equitable technology integration in classrooms.
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Bridging the digital divide to promote inclusive education in Zimbabwean rural secondary schools: A case of Mwenezi District
Rural secondary schools in Zimbabwe's Mwenezi District lack digital infrastructure, network coverage, and ICT equipment needed to implement the updated national curriculum. The study identifies the digital divide as a major barrier to inclusive education in remote and resettlement areas. Researchers recommend improving network coverage, installing solar projects, and providing hardware and software support to enable rural teachers and learners to meet 21st-century curriculum demands.
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Transforming education in a rural ecosystem: school libraries as hubs for teaching-learning innovation
School libraries in rural South African schools function as innovation hubs that improve teaching and learning outcomes. The study found that functional libraries enhance lesson preparation, encourage learner-centered teaching, help teachers overcome resource scarcity, and develop students' critical thinking and research skills. The authors recommend prioritizing school libraries through curriculum policy to strengthen rural education systems.
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Optimal Design of an Off-grid Hybrid Renewable Systems with Battery Storage for Rural Electrification of Academic Community in Ibogun Campus, Nigeria
Researchers designed an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system combining solar, wind, and battery storage to power an engineering department at a Nigerian university. Using HOMER Pro software and local climate and energy data, they compared four hybrid configurations. The solar-wind-battery system proved most cost-effective and environmentally friendly, with the lowest total project cost, energy cost, and operating expenses, making it viable for rural electrification.
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Techno-Economic Analysis of Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Ethiopian Rural Electrification
This study designs off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems for 180 rural Ethiopian communities using solar, wind, and micro-hydro resources. Researchers modeled three system configurations with HOMER software, analyzing costs and feasibility. Results show energy costs ranging from $0.043 to $0.14 per kilowatt-hour depending on resource availability and diesel hybridization. The proposed systems offer competitive pricing against Ethiopia's national tariff and provide a practical pathway for sustainable rural electrification.
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The Obstacles of Women Entrepreneurship on Empowerment in Rural Communities KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Women entrepreneurs in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa face three main barriers to business expansion: limited access to finance, lack of formal education, and inadequate infrastructure. The study surveyed 250 female business owners and found these obstacles are surmountable through targeted interventions including alternative financing mechanisms, focused training programs, and infrastructure development. Removing these barriers could empower women entrepreneurs and reduce rural poverty.
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Integrating Gender and Indigenous Knowledge in Sub-Saharan African Animal Agriculture: Pathways to Climate Resilience and Food Security
Climate change in Sub-Saharan African animal agriculture worsens gender disparities and erodes indigenous knowledge systems. A systematic review finds that empowering women and integrating indigenous knowledge systems significantly strengthen communities' ability to adapt to climate impacts and achieve food security. Policymakers should adopt gender-responsive strategies that incorporate indigenous knowledge.
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Bridging knowledge systems synergies gaps and drivers of Indigenous and scientific knowledge integration for sustainable agriculture in Ethiopia
Ethiopian farmers rarely integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific agriculture, despite potential benefits. The study of 197 farmers found that social networks, belief in indigenous knowledge, contact with agricultural extension agents, and religious participation all strengthen integration. Formal education actually discourages it by emphasizing only modern science. The researchers recommend revitalizing extension services and creating community platforms that combine both knowledge systems into agricultural policy.
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Predicting microfinance inclusion and survival of microenterprises in rural Uganda: testing the mediating role of ethical financial behavior of poor young women owners
Ethical financial behavior fully mediates the relationship between microfinance access and survival of poor young women's microenterprises in rural Uganda. The study finds that microfinance inclusion and ethical financial behavior together explain 62% of enterprise survival variation. Financial education and business mentorship programs can improve loan repayment discipline and access to future credit among rural women entrepreneurs.
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The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Overcoming Digital Divides in Zimbabwean Rural Learning Ecologies
This study examines how Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies can reduce digital divides and improve educational access in rural Zimbabwe. The research finds that while 4IR methods like e-learning offer benefits including better information access, distance learning, and personalized instruction, rural students face technical, practical, and psychological barriers that harm academic performance. The authors recommend infrastructure investment, teacher training, curriculum changes, and public-private partnerships to help rural areas leverage 4IR technologies effectively.
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An Investigation of Renewable Energy Solutions for Off-Grid Sustainable Housing in Rural Nigeria
Solar photovoltaic systems are the most widely adopted renewable energy technology in rural Nigerian off-grid housing, significantly improving health, economic activity, and education. Income, education level, and awareness strongly predict adoption, with awareness mediating the relationship between socioeconomic factors and technology uptake. The study recommends comprehensive policies, community engagement, capacity building, and financial support to scale renewable energy adoption and maximize its benefits.
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Hybrid power system options for off-grid rural electrification in northwestern region of Nigeria
This study evaluates off-grid hybrid power systems for rural electrification in northwestern Nigeria. Researchers modeled and compared solar-wind-diesel hybrid systems and standalone diesel generators for two locations using optimization software. Results show that a PV-wind-diesel hybrid system meets electricity demand most cost-effectively, with lower energy costs than Nigeria's grid tariff. The authors recommend adopting this hybrid approach to support rural education, healthcare, and economic development.
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IoT-Based Smart Management of Off-Grid Photovoltaic Systems in Rural and Remote Settings
This paper presents an IoT-based system for managing off-grid solar photovoltaic installations in rural and remote areas. The system enables remote monitoring and control of solar systems to prevent faults and improve energy efficiency. Researchers designed and tested a proof-of-concept demonstration system with both field-distributed and cloud-based components, developed through a European capacity-building project involving four Rwandan universities.
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The Impact of Microfinance on Poverty Alleviation in Rural Communities
Microfinance in rural communities generates positive economic impacts by funding income-generating activities, raising household incomes, and empowering marginalized groups, particularly women. Group lending models build trust and cooperation among borrowers. However, microfinance alone cannot address structural barriers like poor infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Sustainable poverty alleviation requires integrating microfinance with broader rural development strategies, stronger regulation, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
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Motives and Challenges for Participating in Open and Distance Learning in Higher Education in Tanzania: A Case of Rural Women
Rural women in Tanzania pursue higher education through open and distance learning primarily to improve their socio-economic status and advance their careers through promotions and better employment opportunities. They face significant barriers including poor infrastructure, limited financial resources, socio-cultural constraints, and inadequate learning materials. The study identifies rural infrastructure development as critical to enabling greater participation of women in higher education.
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A mixed-methods study on the determinants of solar home systems utilization in rural, off-grid Nigeria
This study examines what drives rural Nigerian households to adopt solar home systems in off-grid areas. Using surveys of 400 households and interviews, researchers found that higher income and education increase adoption, while gender creates disparities. Surprisingly, satisfaction with current energy sources reduces interest in solar systems. Households farther from the electrical grid show stronger willingness to pay for solar. The findings suggest policymakers need tailored strategies addressing household differences to boost solar adoption.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: Exploring ICT Applications for Inclusive Education of Pupils with Special Educational Needs in Rural Zambia
A qualitative study in rural Zambia examined how ICTs support inclusive education for pupils with special educational needs. Researchers found that diverse technologies—from radios to assistive devices—enhance lesson delivery and personalized learning when integrated into classrooms. However, uneven implementation persists due to infrastructure gaps, inadequate teacher training, and misaligned curriculum policies. Realizing ICT's potential requires systemic reforms addressing digital inequality and teacher capacity.
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Enhancing Resilience and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Microgrids in Rural Africa from an Interdisciplinary Design Perspective: Driven by Community Engagement and Technological Innovation
This study develops an interdisciplinary framework combining social science, engineering, and environmental methods to design resilient renewable energy microgrids for rural Africa. Testing the approach in Tanzania, researchers found that strong community engagement significantly improves social acceptance and operational efficiency, while modular energy storage solutions enhance system resilience during extreme conditions. The framework provides practical guidance for sustainable microgrid implementation across rural African regions.
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Roots and reach: Place-Based processes for polycentric governance in rural South Africa
Civil society organisations in rural South Africa's former homelands enable polycentric governance and systemic change through nine interconnected place-based processes. Research with seven established organisations reveals a core trajectory from focused effort to credibility-building to learning, amplified by feedback loops and shaped by tensions between autonomy and embeddedness. The study demonstrates these organisations function as crucial nodes for rural agency and innovation, requiring sustained investment.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: A Framework for Sustainable Distance Learning in Rural Uganda
Rural Uganda faces severe barriers to distance learning, including unreliable electricity and high data costs. The study of 150 teachers and education officers across three districts found that sustainable solutions require low-tech approaches like radio instruction and USB distribution rather than internet-dependent platforms. Effective rural distance education demands hybrid delivery models, teacher training for low-connectivity settings, and public-private partnerships to reduce data costs.
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Linking energy service access and human capabilities to assess energy justice in the rural Sahel
Energy infrastructure in rural Senegal reaches some communities but leaves others behind, including semi-nomadic and low-income populations. The authors show that expanding energy access alone doesn't guarantee equitable benefits—local energy service access and end-use equipment matter equally. New energy services sometimes create social tensions over resource management. Energy policies must account for population diversity and unintended consequences across sectors.
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Harmonizing Solar Energy Access and Affordability in Nigeria: The Role of Policy and Energy Management in Rural Electrification
This study examines how policy and energy management can improve solar energy access and affordability in rural Nigeria. Using case studies in Abuja, Kaduna, and the University of Abuja, the researchers assess current strategies for deploying decentralized solar systems, optimizing energy efficiency, and financing renewable energy. They compare approaches from India, Egypt, China, and Germany to identify deployment solutions and propose policy reforms that expand rural electrification while reducing emissions.
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Techno-Economic Assessment of an Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System with Green Hydrogen Storage System for a Rural Primary Healthcare Centre in Abuja
This study designs an off-grid hybrid renewable energy system combining wind, solar, and green hydrogen storage to power a rural primary healthcare centre in Abuja, Nigeria, where 40% of centres lack electricity access. The system meets all electrical demands over 25 years with a levelized cost of $2.53 per kilowatt-hour and minimal unmet load, using excess renewable energy to produce hydrogen for backup power during low resource periods.
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Rural Farmers’ Perceptions and Utilization of Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge in Farming Practices in Delta State, Nigeria
Rural farmers in Delta State, Nigeria possess substantial indigenous agricultural knowledge and view it positively, with some practices proving more effective than others. Farmers' socio-economic characteristics correlate with their attitudes toward using indigenous knowledge. The study demonstrates that preserving and promoting these traditional practices can enhance agricultural development and benefit broader communities.
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Representation of Indigenous Agriculture Knowledge and Practices in the Zimbabwe Secondary School Agriculture Curriculum: Prospects and Opportunities for Inclusion
Zimbabwe's secondary school agriculture curriculum largely excludes Indigenous agricultural knowledge and practices, reflecting Western knowledge dominance. The study proposes integrating Indigenous approaches through participatory curriculum development involving teachers, lecturers, extension officers, and farmers. This inclusion would make agriculture education contextually relevant, support sustainable practices, and preserve local heritage while addressing curriculum gaps.
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LEVERAGING GREEN FINANCING FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
Green financing in rural Africa faces significant barriers including policy uncertainty, regulatory instability, and financial-sector constraints that limit awareness and accessibility for rural enterprises. The study identifies that successful green financing requires policy clarity, alignment with global climate architecture, and inclusive programs integrating skills development, small businesses, and gender inclusion to improve rural welfare and support sustainable development.
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Financing Specialized Property Development in Rural Southwestern Nigeria: A Source Analysis
This study examines financing sources for specialized property developments in rural southwestern Nigeria. Researchers surveyed three states and found that property owners primarily fund these distinctive, custom-built projects through commercial banks, followed by merchant banks, mortgage institutions, and insurance companies. Owners consistently contribute personal equity throughout development lifecycles. Most borrowed funds come as long-term loans, giving owners adequate repayment periods.
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Rural-Urban Digital Divide Discourse: Exploring the Efficacy of Game-Based Learning in Early Childhood Development in Zimbabwe
Game-based learning improves early childhood development in Zimbabwe, but effectiveness depends on internet access. Urban centers with connectivity benefit from modern educational games, while rural areas with poor connectivity struggle. The study recommends low-cost offline games for rural schools to bridge the digital divide and enhance child development outcomes in internet-constrained settings.
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The Impact of Digital Divide on Women: A Rural Community Case
Women in rural communities face significant barriers to economic development and gender equality due to limited access to information and communications technology. This qualitative case study found that inadequate internet connectivity, limited access, and high data costs are the primary obstacles preventing rural women from participating in digital opportunities. The research recommends governments and businesses invest in rural digital infrastructure by providing free Wi-Fi to enable socioeconomic growth and empowerment.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: The Role of Female Principals in Advancing 4IR in Rural South African Education
Women principals in rural South African primary schools are driving Fourth Industrial Revolution adoption despite significant constraints. They integrate digital tools into teaching, learning, and administration—using e-learning platforms, smart boards, and management systems like SA-SAMS. These leaders build partnerships with teachers, parents, and community stakeholders, foster innovation cultures, and pursue continuous professional development to upskill staff in digital competencies.
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Mobile Digital Laboratories for Inclusive Science Learning: Bridging the Rural–Urban Divide in Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State, Nigeria
Mobile digital laboratories significantly improved science learning outcomes for junior secondary students in rural Nigeria compared to conventional teaching methods. The study tested 400 students in Benue State using a quasi-experimental design and found that hands-on digital laboratory experiences produced higher achievement scores. Mobile technology can democratize science education and reduce rural-urban learning disparities in underserved regions.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: A Case Study of Virtual Mentoring in Zimbabwean Rural Secondary Schools
Virtual mentoring can improve teacher professional development and retention in rural Zimbabwe despite significant digital infrastructure gaps. The study found that while national policies promote digital inclusion, rural schools face barriers including limited electricity and internet access, plus gender-based digital exclusion. Teachers nonetheless viewed virtual mentoring as valuable for their growth, suggesting targeted investment in rural ICT infrastructure and digital literacy training could enable equitable access to professional support.
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Digital Divide And Educational Media Use In Nigerian Teacher Training; A Mixed-methods Study Of Urban Vs Rural Institutions
This study compares digital media access and use among teacher educators in urban versus rural Nigerian institutions. Urban teachers report significantly better broadband access and digital skills than rural counterparts, who rely on low-bandwidth tools like WhatsApp due to connectivity constraints. The research identifies infrastructure gaps, affordability barriers, and inadequate digital literacy training as key drivers of regional inequality. The authors recommend targeted investments in infrastructure, subsidized devices, and peer-learning networks to achieve equitable digital integration in teacher training.
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Advancing Gender-Responsive AI in Higher Education: A Participatory Rural Appraisal of Traditional and Modern Food Processing Innovations in Uganda
This study examines how gender-responsive AI in higher education can advance sustainable food systems in Uganda by bridging traditional and modern food processing practices. Research reveals that rural women, who dominate traditional food systems, face barriers to accessing AI-driven innovations due to socio-economic disparities, limited digital literacy, and poor infrastructure. The authors propose universities embed gender-responsive AI into participatory curricula, develop culturally relevant low-cost tools, and establish cross-sector partnerships to create inclusive technologies that amplify women's expertise while integrating modern efficiencies toward achieving food security and gender equality.
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Community Based Tourism Product Innovation and Economic Sustainability for Rural Community Wellbeing, A Case of Tourism Cooperatives in Musanze District Rwanda
Community-based tourism entrepreneurs in Rwanda's Musanze District innovate their tourism products to achieve economic sustainability and improve rural wellbeing. The study finds that community empowerment practices stimulate innovation in redesigning competitive and profitable tourism offerings. When tourists consume these products, rural communities generate income that enhances wellbeing. The research recommends that government, park managers, and stakeholders create platforms for collaboration and information sharing to support these enterprises.
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Place-Based Approach to Rural Development: Ethiopia in Context
This study analyzes rural development in Ethiopia using panel data from 2018/19 and 2021/22, applying a place-based framework that accounts for unique socioeconomic features shaped by human and institutional interactions. The research finds that both rurality and entrepreneurial ecosystems significantly affect rural development outcomes. The findings challenge Ethiopia's policy approach, which relies too heavily on geographic factors while ignoring the complex socio-spatial formations that actually drive rural development.
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RURAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ACCESS, EQUITY, AND CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
South Africa's higher education system excludes rural students through inadequate schooling, poor digital infrastructure, and limited financial support. Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies worsen these inequalities unless policies prioritize equity. The paper proposes universities serve as rural innovation hubs and recommends embedding bursaries, rural campuses, entrepreneurial curricula, and community partnerships to transform higher education and advance rural development.
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Assessing the Economic Effects of Energy Access Inequalities between Rural and Urban Areas in Egypt Based on the Random Forest Algorithm
Rural electricity access drives industrial growth in Egypt far more than urban access, according to machine learning analysis. The study found that rural electrification increases industrial sector growth by 85%, compared to 15% from urban electrification. Both rural and urban electricity access show positive relationships with industrial expansion, but rural access proves critical for supporting small-scale manufacturing projects and broader economic development across Egypt.
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Off-Grid Energy Access Solution for Rural and Underserved Regions
Researchers designed and evaluated a photovoltaic off-grid power system for a rural Nigerian village of 100 households. Using HOMER PRO optimization and MATLAB simulations, they calculated the levelized cost of electricity at $0.3305/kWh over 20 years. The PV-battery microgrid costs slightly more than conventional alternatives but delivers environmental benefits and technical feasibility for remote electrification in high-irradiance regions.
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Rural Energy Access and Agricultural Productivity in South Africa
South Africa expanded electricity access from 34% in 1991 to 85% in 2018, but rural areas lagged behind urban areas. Using a Cobb-Douglas production function, this study examined how rural energy access affects agricultural productivity. The findings show that rural energy access surprisingly had a negative influence on agricultural productivity, while urban energy access promoted it. Labor participation, capital investment, and rainfall emerged as stronger drivers of agricultural productivity.
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A case study of selected rural communities' knowledge of the law and their rights regarding their access to water, energy and food in South Africa
Rural South African households lack knowledge of their constitutional rights to water, energy, and food access. A survey of 1,184 households across three rural areas reveals that despite legal frameworks requiring local governments to provide these services, most residents depend solely on social security grants and remain unaware of their entitlements. The research shows significant gaps between constitutional protections and their practical implementation in rural communities.
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ENHANCING RURAL ENERGY ACCESS IN NIGERIA THROUGH SOLAR MICROGRID: A CASE OF MGBERE-CLAN IBAA RIVERS STATE
A hybrid solar-diesel microgrid system in rural Nigeria outperforms diesel-only power generation for a 380 kWh daily load. The hybrid configuration with 250 kW solar panels and battery storage meets 67% of demand through solar, reduces diesel consumption by 75%, cuts CO₂ emissions by 67%, and lowers electricity costs from $0.159 to $0.152 per kWh while maintaining reliable power supply.
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The hybrid renewable energy community approach (HyRECA): Synergising electricity access with bush encroachment mitigation in rural Southern Africa
Hybrid renewable energy systems using encroacher bush biomass can provide affordable electricity to rural off-grid communities in Southern Africa while simultaneously addressing bush encroachment. Off-grid PV/biomass/battery systems achieve the lowest costs and zero emissions, though grid-connected systems dominate where cheap electricity exists. Over 70% of households can afford medium-power appliances. Sustainable biomass harvesting could electrify 1.35 million people across Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa using less than 1% of encroached land.
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Access to electricity and development in rural Senegal : the case of solar energy in the Kolda-Vélingara-Médina Yoro Foulah (KVM) concession
Rural Senegal faces severe electricity access challenges, with over 4 million people lacking power despite strong solar potential. This study examines solar electrification efforts in the Kolda-Vélingara-Médina Yoro Foulah region through national and local analysis. Findings reveal that the Senegalese rural electrification agency (ASER) struggles with coordination among multiple actors, creating governance fragmentation that undermines project success. While households adopt solar solutions, they lack sustained, equitable implementation. The research argues for territorial, inclusive approaches that prioritize social appropriation over market logic to achieve universal electricity access by 2030.
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Techno-Economics Analysis of an Off-Grid Hybrid Power System for Rural Areas in Nigeria
This study evaluates off-grid hybrid power systems for rural Nigeria, comparing thermal generation alone against solar-hybrid alternatives in Delta State. The hybrid system reduced costs from ₦54.9 billion to ₦30.9 billion while cutting emissions by 30%, though at higher per-unit energy costs than thermal alone due to gas subsidies. The authors recommend government-industry collaboration and funding mechanisms to deploy hybrid systems in underserved rural communities.
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TECHNO-ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY AND OPTIMIZATION OF OFF-GRID HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION IN ETHIOPIA
This study evaluates hybrid renewable energy systems combining solar, wind, and battery storage for powering remote rural areas in Ethiopia. Using computer modeling, researchers tested different system configurations and found that optimized solar-wind-battery combinations significantly reduce electricity costs, emissions, and fossil fuel dependence. The findings support Ethiopia's rural electrification goals and offer a practical framework for deploying clean energy in underserved regions.
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Development of a solar photovoltaic-biogas hybrid microgrid for off-grid rural communities in Uganda
Rural Uganda lacks electricity access for over 80% of inhabitants, forcing reliance on biomass and primitive stoves while generating substantial agricultural waste. This study designed and piloted a solar photovoltaic-biogas hybrid microgrid combining abundant solar resources with animal waste. Financial analysis proved the hybrid system viable with positive returns, while solar alone was not. A pilot serving seven users launched successfully in April 2024 with enthusiastic community response, demonstrating the system's potential to simultaneously address energy poverty and waste management across off-grid Ugandan communities.
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Simulation, Optimization, and Techno-Economic Assessment of 100% Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Rural Electrification in Eastern Morocco
Researchers designed and optimized 15 hybrid renewable energy systems for a rural village in eastern Morocco using solar, wind, and concentrated solar power technologies. A photovoltaic system with battery storage proved most cost-effective, delivering electricity at 0.184 USD/kWh while reducing CO2 emissions by 81.7 tons annually. The study demonstrates that hybrid renewable systems can reliably and economically provide 100% of electricity demand for remote Moroccan communities.
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Off-Grid Lighting System for Rural Communities Using Renewable Energy, IoT, and Recyclable Materials
Researchers developed an off-grid lighting system for rural Nigerian homes using recycled plastic bottles, solar panels, and LED bulbs powered by lithium-ion batteries. The system provides natural daytime lighting through water-filled bottles and electric lighting at night for up to 10 hours, reducing energy consumption by 80% compared to traditional bulbs. Pilot testing demonstrates the solution can serve over 600,000 households in South-West Nigeria, offering a scalable, affordable alternative to fossil fuel-dependent lighting.
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Building a CNN Based Pest Detection System for Off Grid Hydroponic Farming in Rural South Africa
Researchers developed an AI-powered pest detection system for off-grid hydroponic farming in rural South Africa. Using a convolutional neural network trained on common pests like spider mites and aphids, the system runs locally on a Raspberry Pi without internet connectivity. The technology successfully automates pest detection in resource-constrained settings, reducing manual crop inspections and improving food security for subsistence farmers facing climate challenges and limited agricultural resources.
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Lcoe Reduction in African Off-Grid Rural Microgrids: a Systematic Approach Using Dsm and Innovative Bchp Integration
This paper presents a framework for designing cost-effective off-grid microgrids in rural Africa by combining demand-side management, consumer clustering, and biomass-based combined heat and power systems. The approach reduces electricity costs while enabling microgrid expansion to serve more customers. By strategically applying energy management to productive uses while protecting household consumption, the method maintains affordability and reliability as systems grow, offering practical guidance for rural electrification projects.
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Optimal Sizing of PV Water Pumping System for Off-grid Rural Communities
This paper develops an optimization method for sizing photovoltaic water pumping systems in off-grid rural communities. Using a particle swarm optimization algorithm, researchers determined the optimal configuration of solar panels and water storage tanks for a village in Egypt's Western Desert. The results show that adding a storage tank dramatically reduces water supply failures while keeping costs reasonable, making the system practical for rural areas lacking electricity infrastructure.
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Financial, Infrastructural, and Institutional Barriers to Renewable Energy Adoption in Nigeria’s Off-Grid Rural Communities: Policy Implications and Strategic Solutions
Financial constraints and poor infrastructure significantly block renewable energy adoption in Nigeria's off-grid rural communities, while policy clarity and community participation drive it forward. The study finds that targeted financing, infrastructure investment, capacity building, and coherent regulatory frameworks are essential to accelerate rural energy transitions and achieve energy equity across Nigeria.
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Methodological Framework for Panel-Data Estimation of Off-Grid System Adoption in Rwandan Rural Communities, 2021–2026
This paper presents a methodological framework for analyzing off-grid energy system adoption in rural Rwanda using panel data from 2021–2026. The authors develop a random-effects probit model to estimate adoption determinants across agricultural households surveyed biennially. Simulation exercises suggest seasonal agricultural income significantly increases adoption likelihood. The framework addresses limitations of cross-sectional studies by capturing temporal dynamics and household-level heterogeneity in technology adoption decisions.
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Comparative Methodologies for Off-Grid Energy System Diagnostics: A Quasi-Experimental Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Rural Ghana
Remote monitoring diagnostics for off-grid solar systems in rural Ghana detected 34% more critical failures per pound spent than technician-led checks, while community-led reporting produced unreliable data despite lower costs. The study compared three diagnostic approaches across 45 communities using quasi-experimental methods. Remote monitoring proved most cost-effective for identifying major faults, though policymakers should combine it with simplified community feedback for comprehensive system assessment.
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Methodological Evaluation of Off-Grid Photovoltaic Systems in South Africa: A Panel-Data Estimation of Efficiency Gains in Rural Agriculture
Off-grid solar photovoltaic systems significantly boost technical efficiency in South African smallholder farming by 18.2 percentage points. Using panel-data econometric methods with stochastic frontier analysis, the study isolates the causal effect of PV adoption on farm productivity, finding the largest gains in irrigation and post-harvest processing. The research demonstrates that off-grid solar functions as a capital-enhancing input and recommends integrating targeted PV subsidies into agricultural support programs.
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PERCEIVED SOCIO-ECONOMIC SPILL-OVER EFFECTS OF TRANSIT RURAL ROADS DEVELOPMENT ON RURAL FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN MAKURDI LGA IN BENUE STATE NIGERIA
Rural road development in Nigeria's Makurdi Local Government Area generates significant socio-economic benefits for farm households, including improved transport linkages, increased farmer income, and enhanced quality of life. Farmers ranked improved mobility as the top benefit, followed by income increases and economic wellbeing gains. However, corruption emerged as the primary constraint limiting road development effectiveness. The study recommends increased government budgets and stronger monitoring mechanisms to prevent fund misappropriation.
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INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS INTO ADVANCED MATHEMATICAL FORMULA DEVELOPMENT: A FRAMEWORK FOR CURRICULUM INNOVATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
This research develops a framework for integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into advanced mathematics curriculum in Southern Africa. The author proposes cataloguing Indigenous mathematical knowledge, embedding it into modern mathematical contexts, and co-designing curriculum with Indigenous communities and educators. The framework addresses implementation barriers including resource scarcity, undervalued Indigenous knowledge, and inadequate teacher preparation. Integration of Indigenous approaches increases student participation, enhances learning diversity, and enables solving global problems through combined traditional and contemporary mathematical systems.
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Smart and Sustainable Economic and Indigenous Farming: Modern Innovation With Traditional Wisdom Bridged
Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face severe climate impacts on rainfed agriculture. This paper evaluates smart technologies that combine indigenous knowledge with modern approaches, finding that indigenous knowledge can be quantified and integrated with scientific methods. The authors argue this integration strengthens farmer resilience and food security decision-making, though current early warning systems often neglect traditional practices.
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Africa's Indigenous Automotive Innovation: A Focus on Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and the Future of Electric Vehicle Marketing
Indigenous African automotive manufacturers like Nigeria's Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing are driving electric vehicle innovation despite infrastructure and cost challenges. The study shows that entrepreneurship, local systems, and government policies shape industry growth. Success requires aligned policies, education, and industrial strategies to build sustainable, globally competitive enterprises.
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Entrepreneurial Culture of Technology Innovation and Customer Satisfaction of Indigenous Oilfield Services Companies in Selected South-South States, Nigeria
Indigenous oilfield services companies in Nigeria's South-South region that adopt entrepreneurial cultures of technology innovation achieve significantly higher customer satisfaction. The study surveyed 328 companies from a population of 1,827 registered firms and found a strong positive relationship between technology innovation practices and customer satisfaction outcomes in the oil services sector.
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Infusing Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKSs)in Technology Education: A Case of Food Processing and Preservation in a Rural Agricultural-based Economy
Indigenous knowledge systems are absent from South African technology education curricula, particularly regarding food processing and preservation. This omission disconnects rural learners from their heritage and practical skills for food security. The study found that integrating indigenous knowledge broadens educational experiences and enables development of appropriate technologies. Community resource persons can effectively deliver this content, and the authors recommend curriculum inclusion to empower rural agricultural communities.
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Adaptability of Artificial Intelligence to Indigenous Knowledge of Agricultural Practices by Local Farmers in North Central, Nigeria
Local farmers in North Central Nigeria hold positive attitudes toward artificial intelligence in agriculture, but successful adoption requires culturally sensitive approaches that respect indigenous knowledge systems. The study recommends collaborative design involving technologists, anthropologists, and farmers, with government support for farmer participation in AI implementation and ongoing monitoring to ensure solutions align with local values and enhance rather than replace traditional practices.
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Gender Equality, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Resilient Smallholder Agriculture for a Changing Climate: A Path to Sustainable Rural Development in Africa
This study develops an intersectionality framework for African rural development that connects gender equality, indigenous knowledge systems, climate resilience, and smallholder farming. The research identifies gender inequality, climate change, low farm productivity, and food insecurity as interconnected barriers to rural development. The framework emphasizes that addressing these challenges together through gender-inclusive and culturally grounded approaches drives sustainable rural development and climate resilience in Africa.
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Indigenous knowledge for sustainable agriculture development: banana ripening methodologies from South Africa
South African small-scale banana farmers use traditional Indigenous ripening methods involving natural materials like ashes, cow dung, and local leaves. These practices enhance food security and livelihoods while remaining undocumented in scientific literature. The study identifies why farmers maintain these techniques: they are affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly. The research calls for documenting and integrating this knowledge into educational programs to preserve cultural heritage and improve farmer livelihoods.
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Indigenous Knowledge of Soil Fertility and Agricultural Practices in Mopa Muro LGA, Kogi State, Nigeria
Rural farmers in Nigeria's Mopa Muro LGA rely heavily on indigenous soil fertility practices—organic manure, bush fallowing, and crop rotation—transmitted through oral tradition across generations. Most farmers face land scarcity, youth migration, and climate variability. However, 69% willingly combine traditional methods with modern inputs like improved seeds and chemical fertilizers. Education and age significantly influence adoption patterns. The study urges policy support and youth engagement to preserve these knowledge systems while integrating modern techniques.
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Contribution of the indigenous agricultural knowledge for local economic development in the Limpopo province: A case of indigenous liquified manure
Small-scale farmers in South Africa's Limpopo province rely on artificial farming despite having indigenous agricultural knowledge. This study examined indigenous liquified manure practices in Vuwani rural communities, interviewing 18 participants including farmers, traditional leaders, and agricultural experts. The research found that indigenous liquified manure significantly increases indigenous crop yields, enabling economic sustainability for communities and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for local job creation.
Media stories — 16
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Empowering Rural Areas: Microgrid Initiatives in Developing Countries
Microgrids—local electricity networks powered by renewable resources—enable rural communities in developing countries to generate and distribute their own energy independently. Examples from Cambodia, Japan, and Yemen demonstrate how microgrids provide reliable power for healthcare, water treatment, and lighting. Success requires community engagement, maintenance planning, and strategic investment in priority needs like healthcare infrastructure.
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Smart Village Dialogue Advances South Africa's First Indigenous Knowledge-Led Initiative
South Africa's Nyandeni Smart Village initiative held its second conference to advance implementation of an indigenous knowledge-based rural development model. The project integrates traditional knowledge systems with Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to create jobs, improve livelihoods, and revitalize rural communities while protecting indigenous knowledge under the 2019 Protection Act.
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Africa Prize 2026 Shortlist Signals Strong Growth for African Innovation and Local Solutions
The Royal Academy of Engineering announced 16 African innovators from 11 countries selected for the 2026 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The shortlist includes solutions addressing healthcare, education, clean energy, and transport across the continent. Winners receive mentoring, training, and access to networks; the programme has supported 165 businesses over 12 years, creating over 40,000 jobs.
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Top 7 African Countries Using Partnerships for Rural Internet
Seven African countries—Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Morocco—are expanding rural internet access through public-private partnerships. These collaborations deploy solar-powered towers, satellite internet, fiber optics, and mesh networks to connect remote schools, healthcare centers, and businesses. The initiatives improve digital literacy, education, healthcare delivery, and economic opportunities in underserved communities.
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Rethinking Rural and Enterprise Broadband: Why Static Public IP Capabilities Matter for Africa's Wireless Networks
Fixed wireless, satellite, and cellular networks are bridging Africa's uneven fibre coverage gap. A new edge-based architecture from Cambium Networks assigns static public IPv4 addresses over encrypted tunnels to remote sites, enabling enterprise-grade security, VPN access, and direct service hosting for rural businesses and healthcare facilities without carrier-grade network address translation limitations.
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Agricultural Technology Ecosystems in East Africa: Taking Stock – Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda
This report examines agricultural technology ecosystems across Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, assessing the current state of agtech adoption and innovation in East Africa. It provides a regional overview of how farmers and agribusinesses access and implement new technologies to improve productivity and sustainability in the region.
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M-Pesa: How Mobile Money Transformed Financial Inclusion and Redefined Development Finance
M-Pesa, Kenya's SMS-based mobile money platform launched in 2007, revolutionized financial access for rural and low-income households by eliminating the need for traditional bank accounts. The service lifted approximately 2% of Kenyan households out of extreme poverty, narrowed gender financial gaps, and enabled women to transition from subsistence farming to entrepreneurship. M-Pesa's success demonstrates how digital infrastructure can leapfrog conventional banking stages and inspire similar systems across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
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Africa needs innovation-led growth powered by data and tech
African governments must shift from input-driven growth to innovation-led development powered by data and frontier technologies to create quality jobs. The continent needs comprehensive skills development in STEM and digital literacy, industrial policies integrating emerging technologies across agriculture and manufacturing, strategic investment in data infrastructure, and new financing models for tech ventures. Countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Egypt demonstrate this approach works when education, industrial policy, and digital strategy align.
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ZeroBionic, a Kenyan startup, has been selected among 10 other innovators for the Qualcomm's 2026 Make in Africa Mentorship Cohort
ZeroBionic, a Kenyan startup developing assistive robotics for people with disabilities, was selected for Qualcomm's 2026 Make in Africa Mentorship Cohort from over 1,200 applications across 45 African countries. The program provides mentorship, engineering support, intellectual property assistance, and funding opportunities to help startups commercialize innovations addressing healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure challenges.
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Uganda: African Development Bank approves €93.9 million to expand last-mile power connections under UREAP Phases I & II
The African Development Bank approved €7.33 million in additional financing to complete compensation payments for people affected by Uganda's Rural Electricity Access Project Phase I, which has connected 137,770 households to the grid. The bank simultaneously approved Phase II with €104.39 million in total funding to construct distribution networks and deliver 259,723 new connections, bringing electricity access to nearly 1.18 million people across rural and peri-urban areas.
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Robotics build path from rural Kenya to world stage
A Kenyan educator runs robotics clubs in rural Laikipia county, training 200 students in engineering and problem-solving. One team competed at the World Robotics Olympiad in Singapore, designing robots for space missions and agricultural applications. The program, funded by a US nonprofit, aims to develop critical thinking skills and encourage Kenyan youth to create rather than consume technology.
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Ghana and Kenya Rural Communities Adopt Innovative Solutions to Strengthen Food Security
Rural communities in Ghana and Kenya are adopting climate-resilient innovations to strengthen food security and incomes. In Ghana, Open Ghana established dry-season gardens using solar water pumps and village savings schemes, enabling vulnerable farmers to grow vegetables year-round. In Kenya, innovator Joe Ouko developed LOFODA-G-Meal, a locally-formulated feed from leaves, herbs, and mineral salts that doubled dairy goat milk production and created new income streams.
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Kenya Unveils Draft Agricultural Data and Digital Policy to Transform Farming Sector
Kenya released a comprehensive draft policy to transform agriculture through integrated digital systems and data governance. The framework establishes the Kenya Agricultural Digital Information Centre to coordinate programmes and manage sector-wide data. It promotes advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and drones while prioritizing farmer-centric services, financial inclusion, and digital literacy for smallholder farmers, women, and marginalized communities.
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Nigeria Steps Up Rural Electrification
Nigeria's Rural Electrification Agency announced major progress in expanding electricity access to unserved communities. The government is deploying 1,350 mini-grids through a $750 million renewable energy project to reach 17.5 million people. Over 900 mini-grids are already rolling out nationwide. Nigeria completed a national electrification mapping exercise identifying 150,000 communities and their power status, enabling tailored solutions for each area.
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African Development Bank Group awards $16.6 million grant to IITA to scale agricultural technologies in Africa
The African Development Bank awarded $16.6 million to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture to launch the third phase of its Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Program. The initiative scales climate-resilient farming practices across Africa, having already reached 25 million farmers and increased crop yields up to 69 percent. The new phase targets 14 million additional farmers across 37 countries through improved seed systems and digital tools.
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From rural Zambia to Cape Town: the simple innovation that's revolutionising small-scale farming
The Burro, a human-powered cargo system designed in rural Zambia, helps small-scale farmers and waste workers transport heavy loads across difficult terrain without vehicles. Originally developed for agriculture, the tool now supports waste collection and recycling in Cape Town while enabling farmers to generate income through informal rental systems. Its simple, durable design proves effective across both rural and urban environments.