The agricultural sector is entwined with fossil fuels through the use of diesel in mechanized farming and natural gas in the production of ammonia for fertilizer. This interdependence carries the price volatility of fossil fuels through to the food we buy. In developing economies, this cost increase exacerbates existing food and energy poverty challenges and puts pressure on the margins of already struggling farming communities. With advances in “green fertilizer,” made with green hydrogen and renewable electricity, producers and consumers are poised to decouple from fossil fuels and establish regional industries with greater security of supply and cost stability. In addition, increasing farmer access to mini grids will drive a virtuous cycle for development increasing incomes and resiliency. This session, led by RMI Senior Principal Thomas Koch Blank and Senior Program Director of RMI’s Energy Transition Academy Raul Alfaro Pelico, together with leaders from the public and private sectors will explore the role that two solutions - green fertilizers and mini grid deployment - could play in decoupling agriculture from fossil fuels and creating a more sustainable and secure food supply.

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