This volume had its origin at a conference held in 1978 at the East- West Center that considered the short- and long-term energy problems of the Asia-Pacific region. That group of national energy policymakers, scientists, and technologists agreed that providing adequate energy for the rural areas of the developing countries looms large as one of the more critical problems of the region. Encouraged by this consensus, the East-West Resource Systems Institute obtained a grant from the Agency for International Development for the purpose of initiating a collaborative, multi-country study of rural energy problems. The National Research Council of Thailand and the East-West Center agreed to work closely together as twin foci for the coordination of the effort.
Adequate food supplies and a reasonable quality of life require energy - both in commercial and non-commercial forms. This handbook is intended as a reference for individuals who want a comprehensive overview of energy for agriculture, many of whom are located in remote areas with limited library resources. The purpose is to put energy for agriculture in perspective by presenting numerous national and regional examples of energy usage.Since the early 1970s, world petroleum prices have fluctuated from US$3/barrel to more than US$40/barrel in 1981, and then back to one-third of the peak price today. Consequently, the rural sector depends heavily on non-commercial energy sources. Availability of such energy is highly site-specific. This handbook deals extensively with non-commercial energy - its sources, the technologies for converting energy to more useful gaseous and liquid forms, and its ultimate end-uses.Photographs, tables, line drawings and graphs are used extensively. Over 600 references are listed along with agency names and addresses for obtaining further information.