Multifunctional Agricultural Platform

Bienvenu Ongoundou is a Gabonese entrepreneur and passionate sustainable development agent. As Founder and Manager of SME Winpartners, and Manager of Energie Solaire Afrique (ESA), Bienvenu specializes in renewable energy solutions and LED lighting. As Secretary General of the Association for a Progressive African Youth (AJAP Africaine) in Gabon, Bienvenu leads youth entrepreneurship development and socio-economic integration. Through AJAP, Bienvenu convened a workshop to create a national plan for housing energy renovation in Gabon. As Deputy National Coordinator for Renewable Energy of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) Gabon, Bienvenu leads multilateral negotiations for climate justice. Before his entrepreneurial career, Bienvenu trained in petroleum production and HSE standards in Congo Brazzaville, and worked as a service provider to the Congolese refinery (CORAF). Born into modest beginnings in Franceville, Bienvenu is passionate about community development and committed to social action through solar electrification, village solar water, and solar public lighting. 

The project creates an integrated electrified services platform (PES) to support the storage, conservation and processing of rural agricultural products. 40% of food is lost along the supply chain in Africa. Photovoltaic technologies are showing increasing promise in terms of improving efficiency and costs of energy production. The estimated lifespan of photovoltaic modules is 25 to 30 years, making them exceptionally attractive for fast electrification programs. Despite the improvement of local research and development efforts, the body of knowledge on these technologies and their market potential is insufficient. The PES system can lead to a rapid diffusion of this innovation to develop the activities of the platform. The objective is to access electricity sustainably to facilitate the conservation and processing of agricultural products, reduce post-harvest losses, and develop rural value chains. The platform will elevate humanity by creating the highest level of food security while improving income levels.

Post-harvest losses are a major problem for all stakeholders in African agriculture. Up to 40% of food produced in Sub-Saharan Africa is lost between production and consumption, representing an estimated $48 billion in value. These losses include quantitative (physical) loss and qualitative (reduction of the value of the goods) loss. Post-harvest losses worsen food insecurity, reduce income to farmers, contribute to higher food prices, and have negative environmental impacts through wasting natural resources and energy used in producing food that is not consumed. Root causes of post-harvest losses include lack of access to energy, technology deficit, poor infrastructure, limited knowledge of supply chains, limited access to markets and insufficient funding. Eradicating post-harvest losses remains crucial for the continent, since millions of people suffer from hunger and malnutrition, while food imports exceed $35 billion per year. This project tackles a root factor behind post-harvest losses in Gabon: the lack of electricity and adequate equipment. The project wishes to support the storage, conservation and processing of rural products.

The Electrified Services Platform (PSE) is a building fitted with solar panels in which different types of electrified services can be used. The platform is equipped based on the needs and activities of agricultural groups, and broadly aims to support the storage, conservation and processing of agricultural products. Winpartners is responsible for the daily management of the PSE and operation of its services. Management is supported by group members who are trained on the repair, upkeep and maintenance of solar equipment with technical assistance by Win partners. This platform model builds on the solar energy potential of Gabon. Indeed, Gabon receives average sunshine of approximately 4 kWh/m2.j, representing a huge source of energy. The PSE converts the sun's rays into electricity, which is then stored in batteries before being used by the user equipment, such as the solar mill, the freezer, etc. The solar panels and batteries are protected by solar regulators. In the platform, electricity production is independent for each service. The various departments have their own photovoltaic panels, batteries and regulators: they are autonomous from each other in order to distribute risk across the platform. The platform is designed to promote collective and productive access to electricity.

The platform serves rural farmers and fishermen. The initial beneficiaries are the populations of the selected villages in the South Lake (Lac du Sud) region of Moyen-Ogooué Province, Gabon. The majority of the communities of the South Lake region depend on agricultural and fishing activities. They produce food but do not have access to basic services to preserve and process their food. Transporting their product to Lambaréné causes a lot of loss and drop in profitability. In my capacities as Deputy National Director of Renewable Energy with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and Manager of Winpartners, I engage extensively with rural agricultural producers and they are involved as central actors in the development of the project. The multiple requests for grants and donations to the state and development partners are indicators of the groups’ needs. By bringing electricity within the multifunctional platform, the project could directly meet their needs. The income-generating activities developed, thanks to the supply of electricity, will make it possible to create economic development within these villages and participate in the fight against poverty. 

The platform serves people living in communities with limited access to electricity. These communities are often left behind without support. Once the platform has been electrified, the project provides multiple opportunities for the groups within the platform since their products will have added value and the community will no longer have problems with prices falling and price instability. The platform endows rural communities with a lasting infrastructural asset upon which to build and participate meaningfully in national development processes

The development of the value chain of the agricultural and fishing sectors in Gabon presents significant opportunities for national climate-resilient development. As a renewable energy entrepreneur, rural communities are my potential customers. I prospect them to offer my solar energy solutions through my SME Winpartners, specialist in renewable energy solutions. Unfortunately, communities do not have the means to access solar equipment, because they live only on subsistence farming and fishing. For national development to be truly inclusive, it must meet the needs of subsistence growers and fishermen. This led me to make a plea to the departmental authorities of Lac du Sud for the installation of a multifunctional platform to increase local commercial activities, as part of community development with the support of economic oil operators. In a participatory approach, some groups were involved in the data collection process on their land, but the oil companies did not respond favorably. In 2018, when I joined the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) as national coordinator in renewable energy and social entrepreneurship for Ghana, the idea became a social project. 

My passion is to contribute to the economic and social development of my community and country. My country Gabon imports more than 80% of agricultural products from neighbouring countries. Although the Gabonese authorities have committed to support the domestic agricultural sector through several initiatives, the results are slow to come about due to poor governance. As a result, those who are in need and who produce are left behind without support. As energy access is a central factor in the development of a community, I seek to reduce the poverty and precariousness of agricultural groups that I have witnessed in the Lac du Sud region. It is necessary to fulfill the significant need for ensuring the economic and food security of the community by increasing sustainable and community-owned access to electricity. I was born into a modest family in Haut-Ogooué Province and was rocked through my upbringing by the values of work, effort and merit. I know the huge potential of the people of Gabon, and I am confident that with access to the right tools, this potential will be translated into inclusive prosperity for all. 

As the Founder of an SME (Winpartners) specializing in renewable energies, my expertise in the solar field and training in electrical engineering position me well to deliver this project. I was also a manager of the company Energie Solaire d'Afrique (ESA Gabon) which has proven itself in Gabon. Since 2014 I have represented solar equipment from the British group Magnatech led, from the Danish group Lumia International, from the Slovak group PURE and from equipment for processing agricultural products with the Austrian group CMS. I have an extensive network among the Gabonese authorities and the technical and funding partners to the renewable energy and agricultural sectors, and bring both international expertise and a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing rural Gabonese communities. 

The mobilization of resources for the realization of a project is a crucial step that I continue to overcome with persistence and through the pursuit of all prospective partnerships. Despite the mobilization of PACJA, the project could not be funded, since the available funding from PACJA was intended to build the capacity of Gabonese civil society on the CNDCs for a period of 3 years. There was great pressure in the face of revivals from agricultural groups. I had exploited other tracks at the National Climate Council of Gabon CNC for the green climate background, but to no avail. I turned to bilateral and multilateral partners who finance African initiatives, programs and projects on renewable energies without follow-up. In July 2019, I was appointed as Gabon representative of the Africa Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access (ACSEA) during the big meeting of African NGOs for the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) in Kenya, during which I introduced the project. In 2020, the COVID-19 health crisis presents setbacks but thanks to partnership with the Africa Climate Action Initiative (ACAI) through the Canada Africa Partnership (CAP) Network, the project sees the potential to reach its objectives. 

I share my expertise for the development of young entrepreneurs at every opportunity. In partnership with several NGOs such as ROSCEVAC, AJAP GABON and the AKEWA Accelerator social incubator, I have trained and supported young entrepreneurs to develop their businesses, and served communities through advocacy for inclusion in social policies. Since December 2019, I have been temporarily in Congo Brazzaville where I work as a voluntary consultant within the national consultation of farmers' organizations and agricultural producers in Congo (CNOP Congo). I support CNOP Congo in the mobilization of resources for the promotion of climate-smart agriculture of UGEA market gardeners in Mayanga and in the Nsoungui market garden center in Madibou. I have taken the initiative to organize awareness workshops and capacity building of agricultural groups for the creation of agricultural microcredit funds and multifunctional platforms in the City of Mouyondzi and the surrounding villages in the department of Bouenza, Congo. My mission is to build the capacity of the youth of the continent to deliver sustainable development

Solar photovoltaic systems offer a wide range of electrical uses, particularly in rural areas, for lighting, cooling, water pumping and telecommunications. This reduces dependence on the main electrical networks and enables rapid and agile electrification. In addition, these applications have a positive social and economic impact on the life of rural communities and their activities. The creation of multifunctional service platforms with low maintenance costs endows rural communities with an intergenerational community-based asset that enables them to be active participants in the fight against poverty. 

The creation of the platform will improve access to electricity for the underserved communities identified, leading to improvements in the storage, processing and conservation of agricultural products among agricultural groups. This will improve local food security and nutrition levels, and increase income levels and contribute to reducing price instability. The 25 to 30 year lifespan of the solar energy system endows communities with a long-term asset to support the development of agricultural activities. The exploitation of the platform’s services generates revenue that will cover the fees put in place for maintenance of the system. Ultimately the platform will reduce post-harvest losses and create positive socio-economic impact. 

The project is not yet operational. Once funded, the project will directly serve 300 people from the selected villages in the South Lake region within one year, with meaningful impact on a larger indirect population. Within five years, the multifunctional platform has the potential for significant scale. 

Over the next year, my goals are to create and deploy the multifunctional agricultural platform and to reduce imports and transport, encouraging local production and consumption. Over the next five years, my goals are to broaden access to electricity services for rural communities and to refine and develop mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of the services provided through the installation of solar kits; assess and scale the multifunctional platform for agricultural activities

Financial obstacles. 

I currently work with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), the Africa Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access (ACSEA), Network of Civil Society Organizations for the Green Economy in Central Africa (ROSCEVAC), the Canada Africa Partnership (CAP) Network, the Association for a Progressive African Youth (AJAP Africaine) and the National Concertation of Peasant Organizations and Agricultural Producers in Congo Brazzaville (CNOP Congo) as a partner and consultant. 

The objective of the program is that the electrified services which will be set up in the platform are operated by the members of the groups in collaboration with Winpartners thus contributing to the economic development of the village. Accounts must be kept in order to assess the financial profitability of the services operated in the platform.

The project must succeed in generating margins which constitute the remuneration of the technical members. In order to guarantee the sustainability of the platform, services paid for by the groups will be set up, including personnel and management, building maintenance and equipment renewal. 

 The exploitation of the platform's services generates revenue. These revenues will pay for the three fees that will be put in place:

1. The renewal fee will be calculated based on the estimated life of the electrical equipment that makes up the system for each service (batteries, regulators, connectors, etc.). It finances the renewal of this equipment.
2. The management fee will be paid at the cost of member salaries for the personnel required to operate the platform (manager, technicians, etc.) 
3. The building maintenance fee will be paid for the basic maintenance of the building. Direct management by group members thanks to capacity building and the support of its council ensures all of the missions assigned to an electricity company in the village (locality with dynamic human resources).

The exploitation of the platform's services generates revenue. These revenues will pay for the fees put in place to maintain and expand the platform

The amount sought is CFA 79 million, or USD 136,000, per year in the form of a subsidy. 

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