The
eleventh session in the series, held on 29 July 2022, focused on modern energy
cooking access for street food vendors. The session addressed the general
apprehension that modern energy has higher cost implications and may lead to
lower profitability. The talk and discussions aimed to understand the
feasibility and viability of clean cooking – solar and electric for street
vendors and provide support, viz, policy support to informal business owners
and their customers, rather than by the broader energy discourse; device
optimisation and productivity. The session also emphasised increasing
profitability through efficiency and productivity among street food vendors to
improve their livelihood and provide increased business continuity and
financial sustainability.

 
India is home to 5.5
million street food vendors, their contribution to the informal economy is 14%.
Typical street vendors in India have an annual turnover of $13,000 and $130,000
(INR 10 lakhs to INR 1crore) and commonly provide jobs for 1-5 workers.
Improving access to and use of modern energy by street vendors has the
potential to uplift the street vendor’s income to a sustainable level, expand
the client base, product or service range, and improve profitability.

Recording for the Session