Base of the Pyramid (BoP) mein PUE (Productive Use of Energy) technologies, jese ke solar water pumps, refrigeration, aur sewing machines,
chhote farmers aur microentrepreneurs ke liye bohot zaroori hain takay wo apni income barha sakein, naye business shuru kar sakein ya phir apne mojooda business ko behtar bana sakein. Lekin inki shuruaati lagatay BoP walon ke liye bohot mushkil hain. For example, aik solar water pump asani se US $700 se ziada ka ho sakta hai, jabke aik walk-in cold room is ke das guna ziada bhi ho sakta hai.
Income generate karne wale appliances jo ke $1,000 se ziada ka ho, unko low-income farmers ya microentrepreneurs ko bechne se un par bohot zyada risk aata hai. PUE ke asal potential ko hasil karne ke liye, social enterprise sector ko aise naye business models tajaweez karnay chahiye jo is risk ko khatam karein taake sab se kamzor log bhi is transformative technology ka istemal kar sakein.
BoP mein PUE ko lekar Teen Tareeqay:
- SERVICE MODELS:
PUE appliance ka asal value aksar uski service mein hoti hai. Is liye ke machine ko bechnay ke bajaye, aik company device ki service ko ek fee ke against offer kar sakti hai. Is service model ke zariye, microentrepreneurs aur farmers in mehengi PUE products ka istemal kar saktay hain, unki income level se be khabar. Ye model bhi farming jese activities mein common hone wale fluctuating incomes ke sath behtar kaam karta hai, jisme farmers harvest time mein ziada income generate karte hain. Ye cheez bohot se hisson mein duniya ke smallholder farmers mein aam hai. India mein, ek ameer farmer apna diesel irrigation pump invest karega aur use apne neighbors ko rent per dega. Uganda mein, ek farmer apni bailon ko hire karke extra income generate karta hai, jo ke doosre farmers ko is powerful animal ke energy ke istemal ke liye bina apne bail khareedne ke mouqa deta hai. Kuch businesses ne bhi is practice ko apnaya hai. Jese ke SokoFresh ne Kenya mein kiya hai, jo ke cold storage ke faide ko smallholder farmers tak pohnchane ka ek unique approach adopt karta hai. SokoFresh ne traditional sales model ki bajaye apne off-grid, solar-powered, walk-in cold rooms ko smallholder farmers ke liye accessible banaya hai. Is company ne farmers ko guidance aur training di hai taa ke wo jo avocados, bananas aur pineapples produce karte hain, unki quality maximize ho. Phir SokoFresh ne apne cold rooms ka istemal karke ensure kiya hai ke ye produce spoil na ho jab wo use multiple small farms se collect karta hai. Ye approach smallholder farmers ko behtar prices aur post-harvest losses mein kami ke sath nafa pohanchata hai, sath hi inhein is cooling technology mein invest karne ki financial burden se bachata hai. Iske ilawa, SokoFresh exporters ko bhi cooling-as-a-service offer karta hai, jo ke iske cold rooms ko rent karte hain taa ke wo smallholder farmers se efficient taur par produce collect kar sakein. Service model approach farmers ke liye khaas tor par faida-mand hai, kyun ke smallholder farms ke scale ne in technologies ke cost justify karne mein madad nahi karti. Lekin companies ko isko worth it banane ke liye ye bhi ensure karna hoga ke unka equipment hamesha changing seasons ke doran farmers ke taraf se istemal hota rahe. SokoFresh ne is mushkil ko hal karne ke liye apne cold rooms ko portable banaya hai. Alag-alag phal aur sabziyon ke harvest ke bad, company apna equipment different regions mein move karti hai taa ke uske cold rooms hamesha full rahein. Aise innovations jo is utilization-rate challenge ko solve kar sakti hain, ye zaroori hongi ke service models ko doosre productive use appliances ke liye scale-up kiya ja sake. - COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP:
Service models mein bohot se faide hain, lekin ek masla ye hai ke jo log in mehengi PUE equipment ki high up-front cost afford kar saktay hain, unmein wealth ki concentration hoti hai. Is maslay ko hal karne ke liye, social entrepreneurs ko ye ensure karna hoga ke ye services ke faide gareeb logon tak pohanchain. Shared ownership systems is masle ko hal kar sakti hain, taa ke ye benefits community mein phail jayen, aur is se sab se kamzor logon ki incomes par bhi ziada asar ho. Promethean Power Systems India mein decentralized milk chilling ke faide small farmers tak pohanchane ke liye is approach ko adopt kar raha hai. Maharashtra mein, jahan Promethean kaam karta hai, bohot se families ek ya do cows ki dekhbhaal karke unke doodh ko bech kar thoda extra income generate karti hain, jo ke ghar ke auraton dwara sambhala jata hai. Lekin markets tak pohanchne ki limited access aur doodh ko collect karne mein inefficiencies ki wajah se frequent waste hota hai, aur dairy companies se farmers ko unke doodh ke liye unfair prices milte hain. Is natijay mein, farmers apne dairy activities ko expand karne mein kamzor hote hain. Promethean ne is challenge ko hal karne ke liye community-ownership model ka istemal kiya hai taa ke wo micro milk chillers provide kar sake, jo ke chaar se chhe cans doodh ko fresh rakhein. Ye chillers company ne groups of 10 to 15 women ko up-front ya pay-per-use model ke through beche hain, jo ke sustainable livelihoods banane ke liye dairy farming karna chahti hain. Promethean ne ye bhi ensure kiya hai ke in groups ko unke doodh ka market milay, aur wo apne micro-chiller se collect kiye gaye doodh ko purchase karay. In women ko Farmer Producers Group (FPG) banane mein madad milti hai, jisse unhein apne dairy farming expand karne ke liye low-cost loans aasani se mil sakein. Is collectivisation ka hissa banne wale har member ko subah aur shaam ko doodh ko collect, test