International Youth Day: Young innovators bring cooling solutions to farmers in Nigeria

A case study detailing a solar-powered cold storage innovation developed by Manamuz Electric LTD to reduce food spoilage and increase income for smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

• Manamuz Electric LTD developed a modular, walk-in commercial refrigeration solution powered by a 7.7 kilowatt off-grid solar system with battery backup. The system is designed for rural communities, farm clusters, and markets lacking electricity grid access and can be adapted for vaccine storage and distribution.
• The project utilizes a 'cooling as a service' business model, allowing farmers to pay a small fee for storage rather than owning the units. This approach aims to reduce food waste and enable farmers to sell produce at market value without the risk of spoilage.
• A pilot project launched in July 2021 in the Ngwo community, Odegba, Enugu State, Nigeria, has stored over 6,000 kg of tomatoes and integrated 151 farmers into its cold chain network within its first month, serving approximately 2,000 weekly customers.
• To support farmers unable to afford cooling services due to lack of market access, Manamuz Electric LTD is introducing 'procurement as a service'. This involves developing a mobile app and website to connect farmers to high-value buyers and off-takers via a shorter, more efficient food supply chain.
• The innovation addresses a systemic issue in Sub-Saharan Africa where approximately 50 percent of harvested agricultural produce does not reach the final consumer.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2021). International Youth Day: Young innovators bring cooling solutions to farmers in Nigeria. https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/young-innovators-bring-cooling-solutions-Nigeria

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. International Youth Day: Young innovators bring cooling solutions to farmers in Nigeria. 2021. https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/young-innovators-bring-cooling-solutions-Nigeria.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=International Youth Day: Young innovators bring cooling solutions to farmers in Nigeria |date=11 August 2021 |url=https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/young-innovators-bring-cooling-solutions-Nigeria |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2021international, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{International Youth Day: Young innovators bring cooling solutions to farmers in Nigeria}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {https://www.seforall.org/stories-of-success/young-innovators-bring-cooling-solutions-Nigeria}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }