PEPP Seminar: Growing More from Less– Energy Efficiency in Farming (Nov 1)
2018/10/25
Title: Growing More from Less– Energy Efficiency in Farming
Presenter: Prof. Ashok Sharma
Date: Thursday, November 1st, 2018
Time: 15:30 – 17:00
Venue: 3K Building, Room 311 (Central Area)
Coordinator: Prof. Hisahiro Naito
Abstract: Agriculture is one the most important sectors of the economy more so for the developing world where majority of the labor force is associated with agriculture or activities allied to agriculture. While great advancements have been made to increase the yield of agricultural production, energy and water usage have also grown significantly. Indiscriminate agriculture subsidies further distort energy and water consumption. As a result, agriculture, relative to its share of the economy, is a disproportionately high contributor to climate change. Impacts such as lower water table and salinity (in coastal areas) are degrading large tracts of agriculture land. If implemented effectively, energy efficiency measures can help farmers save energy without harming productivity. Effective policies, including training and incentives for energy efficiency improvements, can help farmers to enhance their operations. This seminar will look at how government and private sector initiatives have encouraged efficiency at the farm level in select countries and also share empirical studies on productivity gains.
Profile: Prof. Sharma brings nearly four decades of experience in development banking with first-hand knowledge of policies and programs in the financial sector including microfinance, public private partnerships, green financing, agriculture and rural development and public policy. He has worked for commercial banks, development banks including ADB, and global funds. He has just concluded as assignment with Deutsche Asset Management, Frankfurt, Germany with particular focus on microfinance and SMEs.
