Solar cooling helps farmers reduce food waste

Solar-powered cold storage is helping farmers in Kenya preserve more of their harvests, increase incomes, and reach international markets.

“We are no longer forced to sell immediately because we fear the produce will spoil. We can wait for collection and still maintain quality,” said Yvonne Anyonyi Mumiah, Managing Director of Citadel Agri Merchants.

The pay-per-use model developed by SoKo Fresh allows farmers to rent solar-powered cold storage based on the amount of produce they store, removing the need for costly equipment. The company says it has reduced spoilage rates from as much as 50% to under 2% while helping farmers earn up to 50% more per kilogram. Similar solar-powered cold chain projects are expanding across Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia and South Africa, improving food security, reducing emissions and creating new economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.