The problem
In much of the developing world, postharvest losses are as high as 80% and the cold‐storage chain is virtually non‐existent due to the high cost of equipment and spotty electricity. Because fresh produce can perish in a matter of days under ambient temperatures, temperature control alone can extend the shelf life by weeks or even months.
Quickly lowering produce temperature after harvest extends shelf life by reducing metabolic activity and microbial growth.
Market prices rise and fall drastically. Farmers who can store produce longer can take advantage of better prices.
The solution
Solar Freeze is pioneering mobile cold storage units powered by renewable energy for rural smallholder farmers, to help them reduce the huge challenge of post-harvest loss in much of the developing world, postharvest losses are as high as 80% and the cold-storage chain is virtually non-existent due to the high cost of equipment and spotty electricity.
The approach
Solar Freeze uses an integrated approach to Postharvest management recognizing that it is a systems-based challenge and requires an integrated innovation strategy that incorporates technological and financial innovations, capacity building across the value chain, enhanced market access and other elements to achieve impact at scale.
Temperature management is the key tool for reducing temperature losses in the developing world. Very few smallholder farmers have access to cooling or cool storage facilities, and even refrigerated transportation is a rarity.
Reduce
food waste
Increase
local farmer income
Create
jobs for women
Reduce
malnutrition
The unreliability of local electricity supplies, the expense of conventional coolers, and the lack of technical expertise for the installation and maintenance all have led to the search for alternative solutions such as evaporative cooling systems.
Nevertheless, mechanical refrigeration still represents a simple and efficient solution to cooling produce, and is usually the only practical means for cooling to temperatures near freezing. For resource-limited farmers in the developing world, cold rooms and transportation systems employing mechanical refrigeration are economically and practically infeasible.
We are testing an innovative system, the Solar Freeze(TM), to help smallholder farmers effectively deal with postharvest loss through a holistic approach from storage to transportation and selling produce by using renewable energy from the farm gate though mobile solar powered cold rooms to the transportation of fresh produce via energy efficient trucks and finally to the end consumer who mainly include bottom of the pyramid clients in towns and cities who will benefit from reduced prices of food and better nutrition from our innovation .
Our Solutons
Mobile Solar Powered
Cold Room
Portable solar powered cold store is an innovative new solution we aptly named “Solar Freeze”, which enables smallholder farmers to store temperature sensitive fresh agricultural produce.
Read MoreCold Storage as a service
Through mobile money transactions such as “M-Pesa” and cash payments, smallholder farmers and traders can find the nearest cold storage through our App and SMS service providing a convenient solution for managing fresh produce and providing cost savings in food, hardware and physical space.
Read MoreCold storage Mobile App
& IoT monitoring
Get real-time web and mobile access to our cold storage management system through our App and our Internet of Things (IoT) platform.
Read MoreCold-chain Distribution, Logistics
& Refrigerated Transport
Solar Freeze recognizes that effective post-harvest handling for smallholder farmers goes beyond storage to incorporate effective and efficient refrigerated transportation.
Read More