Many people in Nepal depend on hydro-power for agricultural activities. Agro-processing with energy from traditional water mills is time consuming, while the use of diesel mills is costly for rural people. In the context of increasing rural energy needs, the Government of Nepal, through the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), initiated the Improved Water Mill (IWM) Programme in 2003 to improve the living conditions of rural people. SNV has been supporting this Programme since then by applying its multi-stakeholder sector development approach.

The Programme is financially supported by the Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Programme targets traditional water mill owners and farmer communities, as they highly depend on hydro-power for agro-processing. SNV’s role is to support AEPC in monitoring and evaluating the programme and build capacities of the Centre for Rural Technology/Nepal (CRT/N), which implements the Programme.

SNV’s advisory services to CRT/N intend to improve the sustainability of IWM activities by developing the sector and involving multiple stakeholders. To accomplish this, SNV recommends strengthening the capabilities of local existing organisations in addition to institutional development. A variety of factors will contribute to the successful establishment of the sector, including training of mill owners, as well as construction and quality management. SNV advises CRT/N to implement and manage these functions.

In 2007, The IWM Programme won the Green Energy Award within the framework of the ‘Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy’ for its contribution towards improving livelihoods of water millers and its users and minimising environmental degradation.

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