India, Sept. 10 -- For farmers in Bairagiput village in Odisha's Koraput district, access to water for cultivation has long depended on the monsoon or on diesel and electric motors. For women running food-processing enterprises in Kalahandi, unreliable electricity can can delay food preparation and delivery. Across these communities, decentralised renewable energy (DRE) is being used to work around gaps in conventional power supply.

In Bairagiput village in Nandapur block of Koraput district, Amaraa Lakei, 35, has been farming for around 15 years while also working as an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA). She grows ginger, cauliflower, chilli, millets, paddy and cabbage.

Electricity availability for irrigation has been a challeng...