This study s broad goal was to identifyopportunities for promoting productive uses of electricityin existing as well as among new small and mediumenterprises (SMEs) in the rural villages of Lao PDR togenerate income for rural people and promote economicdevelopment. To this end, the study team conducted a marketanalysis of current businesses and services, as well asmajor agro-processing and other income-generating activitiesin (i) six selected central and southern provinces connectedto grid-based electricity and (ii) 10 rural villages of aremote northern district that rely on renewableenergy based, off-grid power supply. Based on the surveyresults, the study team identified opportunities for theSMEs to switch to or adopt electricity for productivepurposes; major obstacles faced by the SME owners inutilizing electricity more fully; and suggested ways toovercome these barriers, including the facilitating role ofEdL (Electricité du Laos, the country s national utilitycompany. This study relied on a social marketing surveyconducted in February 2011 as the primary data source. Italso drew from literature reviews and information gatheredfrom government agencies and international organizations.Three sets of field surveys were conducted. The first setfocused on rural villages with access to grid electricitywhose main crop is rice; the surveys covered three central(Bolikhamxai, Khammouan, and Savannakhet) and three southern(Salavan, Champasak, and Attapue) provinces. The second setfocused on rural villages with access to grid electricitywhose main crop is coffee; the surveys covered the samethree southern provinces (Salavan, Champasak, and Attapue).Finally, the third set focused on 10 rural villages in theMuang Mai district of Phongsaly province (Sobnaon,Houayvangkao, Nakang, Houaychik, Naxong, Sobhoun, NamNga,Xongneua, Sensaat, Nakham), which are served by an isolatedgrid system
PDF
download
878987797
028-85220240
