Universal access to reliable, modern energy is critical for strengthening the agrifood systems—improving productivity, incomes, resilience, and equity. Energy gaps in rural and remote areas for productive use constrain agricultural growth and reinforce dependence on fossil fuels; deploying decentralized renewable energy systems can catalyze rural livelihoods, microenterprises, and address critical infrastructure gaps in the agrifood value chain, especially for smallholder farmers.

This report studies the on-the-ground adoption of 21 productive use of renewable energy (PURE) interventions across nine Indian states to understand, document, and analyze the challenges encountered and the diverse implementation and financing models employed. It aims to generate a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to the functioning and scalability of various PURE applications in India’s agrifood systems and the role they can play in enhancing rural livelihoods.