Bioenergy Market System Development: Comparing Participatory Approaches in Kenya and Sri Lanka
Abstract
The Policy Innovation Systems for Clean Energy Security (PISCES ) project is developing new knowledge for the sustainable use of Bioenergy to improve energy access and livelihoods in South Asia and Eastern Africa. Enhancing bioenergy market systems through Participatory Market System Development (PMSD) offers the potential to improve efficiency and sustainability of such systems. Participatory Market Mapping (PMM) is a key tool in this approach which increases market knowledge and connections by engaging key market stakeholders in the generation of detailed market maps. Such processes have previously shown strong impact on a variety of agricultural market chains, and the PISCES project has trialled the application of these techniques to bioenergy. Workshops were held in Kenya and Sri Lanka in 2009 aimed at identification of market chain actors, external factors affecting the market chains and sub-sector service providers. The workshop in Kenya successfully developed comprehensive recommendations for sustainable charcoal production by comparing three local charcoal market systems and the Sri Lankan workshop effectively analysed issues affecting the national biomass market system. The lessons learnt from each experience show similarities in the challenges faced by both countries, and provide a model for blending market mapping approaches for future application to Bioenergy market system development.
Citation
PISCES Working Paper, 20 pp.
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