Solar-powered ColdHubs, Nigeria

Project name: ColdHubs

Project location:  Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria`

Website: http://www.coldhubs.com

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/ColdHubsLTD/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf 

Project description:

ColdHubs are solar-powered walk-in cold rooms, installed in markets and farm coops to store and preserve fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods 24/7 and extend their shelf life from 2 days to 21 days for small farmers, retailers and wholesalers.

Our innovation eliminates losses of fruits, vegetables and other perishable food due to lack of reliable cold storage completely and increases the income of farmers and retailers because, losses have been eliminated.

Each hub is comprised of the following:

Cold room: a 10 feet length, 10 feet width and 7 feet height, 150mm insulated cold room panel with floor made of stainless steel. This contains approximately 2 tons of perishable food arranged in 30kg plastic crates, stacked on the floor.

Refrigeration unit: an energy efficient monoblock refrigeration unit with 24/7 autonomous refrigeration, designed for off-grid use. The temperature is kept around 5° Celsius.

Solar power: provided by rooftop solar panels generating approximately 5.5kw, connected to a set of deep-cycle, long lasting batteries, off grid and on grid inverters. The power generated, is sufficient to run the hubs on all weather conditions.

We operate a simple pay-as-you-store model. Farmers and retailers pay 100 Nigerian Naira (equivalent of US$0.50) to store one crate per day.

We have assembled, installed and commissioned 5 hubs in Relief Market Owerri, Orlu Central Market, General Good Daily Market, Obowo all in Imo State and Kura Farmers Settlement Kano at the moment.

Goal and purpose of the project:

ColdHubs, addresses the problem of post-harvest loss in value of fresh fruits and vegetables which affects 470 million farmers and retailers in developing countries (Rockefeller Foundation; Food Waste and Spoilage Initiative 2014). It is estimated that small farmers and retailers losses 45% of their vegetable harvests, 35% of their fruit harvests and 25% of their income due to post harvest losses every year.

Post-harvest losses, especially in Nigeria, are caused by ambient temperature and relative humidity which facilitates fungal and bacteria decay. This major problem is exacerbated by the absence of suitable, well designed on-farm, markets post-harvest storage facilities and unreliable electricity supply

Spoilage decreases harvest yield smallholder farmers can sell in times of surplus. The risk of spoilage prompts farmers not to harvest all of their crops. Another consequence is that the inputs—including labor, water, seed, fertilizer—and their environmental costs are lost along with the product. Over time, these losses compound, land yield drops, due to mismanagement, and the overall ecosystem is affected.

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

Firstly, we are motivated because our technology eliminates all forms of food spoilage due to lack of cold storage completely.

Secondly, because previous losses has been eliminated completely and production costs has been reduced, we increase the household income of small farmers and retailers.

Thirdly, we create employment for women small farmers, by recruiting and training them to work as ColdHubs operators and market promoters in markets and farm clusters. Our Hubs are operated by a lady manager, who monitors the loading and unloading of crates, collect the fees, and build relationships in these farm clusters and markets.

Finally, we are motivated because, our technology primarily targets and benefits women small farmers and retailers. This is because women are generally small plot gardeners providing 75% of the labor in production and 100% of the labor in the marketing of fruits, vegetables and other perishable food. They have a monthly income of about $60. Most of the women who benefit from our technology are not food secure. Therefore, reducing post-harvest losses will not only increase their income but will also mean increased food for them increasing their nutritional security by adding greater resilience within the food system, and ultimately improve their lives.

Use of prize money:

We will use the prize money to assemble and commission Hub 6 at Onitsha Road Fruits and Vegetable Market, in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. This Hub will benefit 150 women smallholder farmer and retailers in the market.

Installation requires two weeks of civil, structural, electrical, refrigeration and electronics engineering.