While the distributed renewable energy (DRE) market segment is relatively nascent in the Republic of Guinea, there is a considerable potential for its deployment in the agriculture sector, given the high willingness of surveyed commercial smallholder farmers and productive-use service providers to acquire DRE solutions to power agricultural production and post-harvest processing activities.

This report identifies solar PV as the most suitable DRE solution and entry point in the rice, maize and vegetable value chains. Based on qualitative data, the report estimates the addressable market potential for solar PV water pumping, solar PV milling and solar PV cold storage for these value chains, representing significant market value and potential to bolster food security in the country.

Policy and regulatory bottlenecks are identified, including limited access to commercial credit, limited DRE supply, low awareness and technical knowledge, and quality concerns, all of which represent key barriers to DRE integration in agriculture.

Drawing on the findings of the study, the report recommends priority actions (on policy, finance, demand- and supply-side) to overcome these obstacles, enhance the DRE ecosystem in Guinea and stimulate its uptake in the agri-food sector to increase productivity and value creation.

Report by the International Renewable Energy Agency.