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The role of renewable energy technologies in the development of agriculture, as a method of introducing a green economy, the use of electric shepherds, solar dryers and much more in her interview for the “Agrarian Platform of Kyrgyzstan” was told by Cholpon Asakeeva, director of the “Central” branch of the microcredit company “Bailyk Finance”.

– Good afternoon, thank you very much for taking the time for our interview. How did you get the idea to work in the green economy?

– The strategy to develop a green economy in Kyrgyzstan is embedded in our mission: to create affordable financial solutions for residents of villages and small towns in order to improve their quality of life. We all understand that environmental problems pose a threat to the future sustainable development of the country, the main of which is the depletion of natural resources and, as a result, the deterioration of our health.

The first step in this direction was a joint project with the IFC Housing Microfinance program. The objectives of the project include informing the population about energy efficiency. I note that over the 5 years of this program, we have received good results: more than 5,000 energy-efficient improvements have been financed, more than 34 million soms saved and 11 tons less coal burned, and we have received grateful responses from our customers.

All this inspired us to take the next step. We have launched a program to finance all forms of renewable energy production such as solar, wind and biomass.

– Please tell us about the types of equipment that you propose to purchase on credit for farmers.

– As part of cooperation with IFC, a new loan product “Renewable Energy Sources” (RES) was developed for the purchase of equipment operating on alternative energy sources. The most popular today are solar dryers, electric shepherds and solar panels.

Perhaps, first of all, I will talk about the SD-10 solar dryer, designed for drying fruits, vegetables, herbs, kurut, fish and other products that the farmer wants to keep dried.

During outdoor drying, part of the value of the product is lost under the influence of direct sunlight, rain, pollution by pathogens, dust and sand, spoilage by birds, rodents and insects.

What are the features of a solar dryer?

– The SD-10 solar dryer is adapted for the conditions of Kyrgyzstan by the Center for the Development of RES and Energy Efficiency, produced by local specialists and using renewable technologies. The air is heated by passing through the solar collector and is drawn by a fan into the drying zone, where it blows over the fruits, vegetables, and herbs located on pallets. Hot moist air is expelled through the outlet. The condition of the food in the dryer is visible through the transparent rear door of the dryer. The temperature in the dryer, on average, exceeds the ambient air temperature in the shade by 15-20˚С and reaches 55-60˚С.

Drying is better to start in the morning. All products must be prepared for drying by cutting them into circles, columns or strips no thicker than 0.5-0.8 cm, and spread out on pallets in a single layer, leaving room for air to pass through the pan grids. Kurut is better to dry not in the form of balls, but to give it the shape of washers for uniform drying.

For the solar dryer to work successfully, it must be oriented to the south so that sunlight falls on the collector and photovoltaic panel. The wheels and handles installed on the dryer and the small dimensions of the dryer (length – 1.2 m, height – 1 m, width – 0.65 m, weight – 43 kg) make it easy to move and turn. In cloudy weather or at night, you can continue drying by connecting it to a 220 W network. In this case, the dryer will consume 0.45 kW per hour.

Solar dryers make it possible to dry products at an outside air temperature of about +20˚С (that is, from early spring to late autumn), simultaneous loading of up to 10 kilograms, preserving the taste, color and benefits of dried products, accelerating the drying time up to 1 -2 days and protection from external pollution.

– Does it follow that you contribute not only to the green economy, but also to local production?

Yes, you are right, dryers are made in Kyrgyzstan. At the moment, we are implementing them in partnership with the Center for the Development of RES and Energy Efficiency, which implements the project “Development of small and medium-sized businesses for access to energy”, funded by UNDP and the OPEC Fund. The result of this partnership is the opportunity for farmers to purchase a solar dryer at a 20% discount.

– And what is the “electric shepherd” product, and what is its benefit for farmers?

The principle of operation of the electric shepherd is simple: the battery collects solar energy, the generator generates high voltage pulses that pass through the fence conductors at a frequency of 1 time per second. When an animal comes into contact with a fence, an electric current passes through the animal’s body into the ground. The animal receives a mild electric shock and moves away from the fence. Electric shock does not pose a danger to the life of animals and develops a stable reflex in the animal not to approach the fence. The electric shepherd allows cattle to graze for a short time in a limited densely sown area in order to completely remove the standing biomass.

The grazing of vegetation activates the growth mechanism of pasture plants; thus, after the departure of livestock to another area, intensive regrowth of vegetation occurs. Following this principle, it is possible to achieve high productivity of pasture lands and livestock. The electric shepherd is a godsend for the farmer, because allows solving a number of problems: rotation of pastures taking into account seasonality, extends the period of use of pastures, facilitates the work of livestock breeders, and, which is important, as a result, significantly increases milk yield. The electric shepherd can also be useful to growers and gardeners to save their farmland.

– As one of the types of renewable energy equipment, you mentioned the solar panel. What is the advantage of using them?

I must say that solar panels that generate electricity from the sun are especially relevant for residents of mountainous areas and are becoming increasingly popular among livestock breeders who migrate to high mountain pastures in summer, as well as among entrepreneurs involved in the tourism business – panels are used in yurts, hostels, etc. .d. After all, they have no access to electricity, and solar systems allow the operation of electrical appliances – from lighting and running a 12-volt TV, charging phones and laptops, to additional load in the form of small freezers and fans.

– I think that systems using solar energy are the best solution for those who are engaged in rural tourism in the mountains. In what other areas can they be used?

– Spheres of use of solar systems are wide enough. Today, there are various types of systems that can also be used for water heating, heating, cooking, etc. The use of various solar systems can also be found by small entrepreneurs providing catering services, a hairdresser, baths and others.

Another issue is that there is low awareness of such programs and equipment, so the employees of the Bailyk Finance microcredit company actively hold meetings with individual entrepreneurs and farmers in the aiyl okmotu, take part in radio programs, publish a number of articles, and also talk about the benefits of such equipment to everyone active and potential clients. I am sure that this practice will only lead to positive results in the implementation of our mission and at the same time will contribute to the preservation of the environment and ecology.

Detailed information about the activities of LLC MCC Bailyk Finance can be found on the website: www.bf.kg

Or by calling: 0(312) 314 910

The full version of the publication can be found at: http://agroplatform.kg/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%B0_lite-7_1.pdf