Context and socio-economic impact of solar greenhouse
GERES (Groupe Energies Renouvelables Environement Solidarité) is an International NGO set up in 1977 in France aiming at supporting local organisation to implement renewable energy, environment and income generation activities. GERES is working in 12 countries in South East Asia, Hindu Kush-Himalaya, Central Asia, North Africa, West Africa and France. GERES and local partners conduct R&D, develop integrated implementation package (target group, access to investment, capacity building of local stakeholders & SME), advocate and share knowledge with other stakeholders through publication, trainings and seminar.
Implementing area
The greenhouses are implemented at large scale in the cold deserts Western Indian Himalayas in the districts of Leh, Kargil (J&K) and Lahaul & Spiti (H.P). These cold deserts are characterized by cold and long winter (-20°C, 6 month frost), low precipitation (50mm per year) and scarcity of biomass. The access road are closed 6 months per year: during this period, the vegetable are supplied by flight from the Indian plain and prices rise by 3 times. In remote area, vegetable are not available at all.
Pilot projects are implemented in Afghanistan, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan.
Experience in vegetable growing under greenhouse
- Research and Development in design
R&D in design development (transparent cover, wall, roof, hotbed, ventillation) for several climates based on investment capacity of community and local materials since 1990 - Research and Development in agricultural running
Vegetable adapted to cold climate, sowing date, pest control since 1999 - Implementation
More than 600 solar greenhouse are implementated in Western Indian Himalaya including 10 commercial greenhouses. It is awared by Asdhen Awards for sustainable energy 2009 - Publication
Running, construction, methodological guides and documentary film for decisions makers, technician and farmers in English, Ladakhi, Urdu, Hindi, Russian, Tajik and Kygriz
Domain of expertise
Design, agro-running, methodology development for pilot project and scaling up (target group, access to investment, capacity building, private sector development), carbon finance and documentation.
