Rural electrification as multi-sectoral coevolution: The geography of electricity and dairy sector development in Rwanda

Research on multisectoral interactions is gaining attention for its potential to address global challenges, including climate change, food security, and energy access. These dynamics are especially relevant in sub-Saharan Africa, where expanding energy access is a key policy goal. This study contributes to the literature on sectoral coevolution with a case from a novel geographical and sectoral context. Drawing on economic geography and energy and development studies, it applies a spatial lens to the interactions between an expanding electricity sector and the dairy value chain (DVC), through a comparative case study of four districts in northwestern Rwanda. Results show that both sectors have expanded geographically and reinforced one another, mainly through alignment with national policies. A network of DVC and electricity actors mediates this coevolution. However, challenges such as unreliable electricity, high costs, poor maintenance, milk shortages, and uneven adoption of internet and communication technologies (ICT) constrain this potential. From a geographical perspective, the study shows how sectoral coevolution reshapes rural–urban linkages through socio-material flows. It highlights how the expansion of electricity and dairy networks co-produces new proximities and geographies of rural transformation. Harnessing this coevolution to alleviate poverty requires further support for farmers’ modern milk production technologies, improved ICT integration, and more reliable, affordable electricity.