| Work Detail |
Providing modular packhouses with pre-cooling chambers and cold-storage built to customers’ specifications Agribusiness is Africa’s leading employment sector, representing 35% of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Across sub- Saharan Africa, it is estimated that a lack of access to post-harvest infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities, results in food losses of 30-50%. Globally, such losses are responsible for 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2e emissions, contributing to climate change. ‘First-mile’ cooling is key to preserving the market value of produce, however, only a small proportion of farmers currently have access to cold storage close to where their produce is grown. Where storage is available, affordability is a major barrier, particularly for smaller-sized growers. Affordable, energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure could cut post harvest losses by up to 80%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost farmers’ profits, and enhance food security. In Kenya, Ghana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, a cooling-as-a-service solution, jointly delivered by InfraCo Africa and Enterprise Project Ventures through InspiraFarms Cooling, provides modular packhouses with pre-cooling chambers and cold-storage and are delivered to customers’ specifications, ranging in size between 30m² and 2,000m². The energy-efficient packhouses are powered by on- or off-grid solutions and monitored remotely using automated technology to keep them at a steady temperature. Local teams are trained to undertake maintenance and provide customer support. ESI |
