Rural areas in the country have the largest potential to produce and use renewable energy. In spite of this, renewable energy applications remain very low. Therefore, the Alliance for Appropriate Technology Exchange (AfATE) proposes to form three rural enterprises for dehydrating and marketing locally available fruits and vegetables in selected villages served by village hydro schemes in order to demonstrate the linkages between renewable energy and rural economic development. There are three proposed sites: Tebuwatte, Managoda and Kellegama.

A patented dryer technology developed by AfATE will be used in these enterprises that is low-cost and uses wood from the Gliricidia tree, as an innovative wood burner to generate heat for the dryer. Powered by locally grown fuel, the enterprises would be self-sufficient. This will basically be a rural enterprise processing local produce, using locally available renewable energy resources and operated by locals to deliver rural economic development benefits.