Women farmers in Tanzania have harnessed solar technology to reduce post-harvest losses, enhancing food security, panelists learned at an African Development Bank event held February to launch its Gender and Energy brief on the status of gender mainstreaming in Tanzania’s energy sector.

Women farmers used solar panels to winnow maize and other grain crops, boosting food security. The development pointed to the growing importance of access to clean energy solutions, particularly for women, said Gisela Ngoo, a Bank gender and social development consultant in Tanzania.

“The availability of solar panels could address the energy needs of women, using the right technologies to enhance food security and to narrow the energy provision gaps in Tanzania,” said Ngoo, who undertook a comprehensive study of gender mainstreaming in the country’s energy sector.

Read more: AfDB