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ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Abstract

Reliable energy access is widely recognized as essential for agricultural development, yet adoption of off-grid renewable energy technologies (RETs) in the Global South remains uneven despite their high potential. While RETs are increasingly promoted as solutions to food insecurity and energy poverty, evidence on what enables or constrains their uptake across agricultural contexts remains fragmented. This study systematically reviews 18 peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2025 using the PRISMA framework and synthesizes findings through a PESTEL lens. The literature has expanded in recent years, reflecting growing policy attention to the energy–agriculture nexus, but remains concentrated in Asia and heavily focused on solar irrigation, with Africa, Latin America, and post-harvest applications largely underrepresented. Across studies, the most prominent drivers of adoption are technology reliability and support (n=18), sustainable resource use (n=18), and economic empowerment (n=17), while key barriers include technological limitations (n=18), high upfront costs (n=16), and climate or resource constraints (n=15). These drivers and barriers interact across political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal dimensions, shaping both adoption outcomes and scalability. The findings highlight the need for inclusive financing mechanisms, socially equitable program design, and coherent regulatory frameworks to unlock the potential of off-grid RETs in agriculture, with implications for productivity, poverty reduction, food security, and climate resilience in support of SDGs 1, 2, 7, and 13.

Keywords

systematic review; off-grid renewable energy technologies; agriculture; PESTEL; Global South; Sustainable Development Goals

Publication Date

2026

Received Date

08 Jan 2026

Revised Date

20 Mar 2026

Accepted Date

16 July 2026

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