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A field study in Kenya by Phaesun found that while solar cooling reduces post-harvest losses and increases income, economic viability varies significantly by operational model. Market- and export-oriented operations are highly viable with 3-4 year payback periods, whereas individual smallholder models require 40-100% subsidisation due to high commercial interest rates of 15-20%. The study identifies an "impact capital gap" and suggests that success depends on product value, scale, and the use of blended finance or Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) models.

The report discloses the environmental and social due diligence for a Category B subproject to build a rice storage warehouse in the Kigoma Region of Tanzania. Managed by CRDB Bank Plc under the TACATDP programme, the subproject aims to enhance food security and reduce post-harvest losses. The disclosure includes an Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) report and an E&S Action Plan, made available in English and Swahili on January 9, 2026, to comply with Green Climate Fund (GCF) policies.

The study examines the adoption of solar drying technologies to reduce mango post-harvest losses in Mozambique's Inhambane Province, finding that while these technologies can improve food security and livelihoods, adoption is hindered by high costs, lack of technical knowledge, and poor market access.

The report examines the intersection of climate change and food security in Nigeria, highlighting how extreme weather, conflict, and poor infrastructure threaten agricultural productivity. It analyzes the alignment of the FMAFS Road Map, NATIP, and the NDC, while identifying critical gaps in budget utilization and policy coordination. The document advocates for a shift toward community-led, climate-smart agriculture and improved financial transparency to achieve long-term resilience.

Osomobegbe Global Ventures Limited (OGV), founded in 2019 by Osomobegbe Eugene, addresses post-harvest losses in Nigeria through the deployment of solar drying solutions. The company utilizes locally sourced materials to create dryers for vegetables, proteins, and fruits, extending product shelf life up to a year. OGV operates through three primary pillars: the installation of solar dryers, the operation of fee-based solar drying centres for small-scale producers, and the provision of training programmes for youth and farmers. While the company has scaled from supporting 300 to nearly 4,000 smallholder farmers, it faces challenges including funding limitations, workforce retention among youth due to financial constraints, and bureaucratic hurdles in accessing government contracts. OGV aims to install 1,000 solar dryers and support 10,000 farmers within the next five years.

The document details the journey of Desmond, a Ghanaian entrepreneur who founded Complete Farmer in 2017 to bridge the gap between traditional farming and modern technology. The startup addresses inefficiencies in the agricultural value chain by connecting smallholder farmers with global buyers, utilizing a model inspired by Alibaba. Key challenges identified include poor infrastructure—such as road networks and storage—and a lack of local technical talent and seed funding. To mitigate these, the company established 10 fulfillment centres (six owned) to reduce post-harvest losses and implemented youth-focused recruitment and training programmes. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a turning point in 2020, increasing demand for the platform's marketplace model. While the company has seen success through international investment and incubators like MEST, it faces scaling limitations due to insufficient capital and regional infrastructure gaps.

The RE-GAIN programme is a 5-year initiative designed to strengthen food security and climate resilience in seven African countries by scaling the adoption of Food Loss-Reduction Solutions (FL-RS). The programme addresses climate hazards—such as extreme heat, erratic rainfall, and flooding—that cause grain shattering, rotting, and mycotoxin contamination. It employs a three-pronged strategy: increasing farmer demand through awareness and training, enhancing supply and affordability via MSME business development and innovative financial models (including 'smart-subsidies'), and creating an enabling environment through policy reform. The project targets 2.63 million direct beneficiaries and expects to reduce GHG emissions by 111,275 tCO2e over 10 years.

The document examines the critical state of food storage, transport, and logistics in Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana, noting that underdeveloped infrastructure leads to post-harvest losses of 3040% for perishables. It argues that integrating these systems into agroecological transitionssuch as using solar-powered cold storage and intermediate transport like bicycles and motorbikescan reduce waste and empower smallholder farmers. The brief highlights specific national hurdles, including aflatoxin contamination in Uganda, uneven road networks in Kenya, and a focus on national rather than household storage in Ghana. It recommends that philanthropic and government funding prioritize local stakeholder participation, renewable energy solutions, and evidence-based research to build climate-resilient food systems.

The document argues that Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sectors are underperforming despite vast resources, contributing only 6% of global fish production and resulting in a US$6 billion annual import reliance. It highlights systemic challenges including post-harvest losses of up to 30%, gender disparities in resource access, and environmental degradation such as oil pollution in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The briefing proposes a combination of agroecological practices, climate-smart technologies (such as biofloc and RAS), and regional trade integration via the AfCFTA to enhance food security and economic growth. It specifically emphasizes the need for cold-chain infrastructure, the integration of indigenous knowledge, and the empowerment of women and youth to ensure an equitable transition.

The document highlights the potential for small-scale African farmers to meet a growing demand for processed foods—projected to be 75% of staple food demand—by adding value to indigenous crops. However, processors face significant hurdles, including limited access to modern storage (such as cold rooms), poor packaging that reduces consumer trust, and difficulties in meeting food safety certifications. The brief emphasizes the role of traditional methods like fermentation and drying in enhancing nutrition and shelf-life, while warning that unchecked processing waste can cause environmental pollution. It recommends that philanthropies fund capacity building, research into sustainable packaging, and the development of regional labelling standards to boost the marketability of local processed foods.

The CoolCycle project in Lagos State, Nigeria, deployed a 15 kWp solar off-grid system with 30 kWh battery storage to power cold rooms and a packhouse. Funded by Zero Emission Generators (ZE-Gen), the project aims to replace diesel generators with clean energy to preserve agricultural produce. Initial results show a reduction in post-harvest losses by up to 90% and the creation of employment for 48 women in produce processing. The project utilizes 'Energy as a Service' and 'Cooling as a Service' subscription models to ensure commercial viability and is seeking $750,000 to expand to 30 additional locations.

The report evaluates Madagascar's cold chain infrastructure, focusing on medical vaccines and four agricultural value chains: potatoes, tomatoes, fisheries, and dairy. It identifies significant gaps in electricity access and road infrastructure that lead to high post-harvest losses and inequitable vaccine coverage. The analysis proposes electrification scenarios for healthcare facilities and investment roadmaps for agricultural cooling, emphasizing the high return on investment for fisheries and dairy.

The document evaluates the effectiveness of storage infrastructure, digital pest surveillance tools, and terracing for erosion control in Rwanda. While these initiatives have improved food security and pest management, the report identifies significant gaps, including the underutilization of cold storage, limited digital literacy among rural farmers, and an increase in high-risk erosion areas between 2020 and 2022.

The document identifies three priority policy areas for food systems transformation (FST) to enhance food security and climate resilience: reducing post-harvest losses, scaling up biofortification of staple crops, and improving food safety. It argues that while these issues are recognized in national policies across Eastern and Southern Africa, implementation is hindered by limited resources, capacity gaps, and a disproportionate focus on staple crops over high-nutrition crops.

In Kiguna, Nigeria, a partnership between Husk Power and Coldbox Store, supported by the REA-RMI Energizing Agriculture Programme, has deployed a 3-ton walk-in cold room powered by a solar-hybrid minigrid. The facility maintains temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius, extending the shelf life of fish from days to months. This infrastructure allows local fishers and traders to avoid selling spoiled catch at a loss and instead access high-value urban markets. The project is expected to reduce annual post-harvest losses by over 30 metric tonnes and increase fishers' income per catch by over 30 percent.

Ethiopia is not on track to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, with poverty and hunger projected to remain high due to conflict in Tigray, climate change, and economic shocks. The report argues that a sustainable food system transformation is possible with an additional annual public investment of USD 4.6 billion from 2023 to 2030. This funding would target increasing agricultural productivity, transitioning to healthier diets, and enhancing climate resilience. A significant financing gap exists between short-term emergency food assistance and the long-term investments required for systemic resilience. Key recommendations include prioritizing on-farm interventions, scaling up sustainable livestock intensification to reduce GHG emissions, and integrating nutrition education with social protection programs.

Nigeria is not on track to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, with poverty and hunger projected to rise without significant intervention. The report identifies a massive financing gap, estimating that an additional USD 4.9 billion in annual public investment is required from 2023 to 2030 to achieve a sustainable food system transformation. This includes USD 2.3 billion from external donors and USD 2.6 billion from domestic resources. Key priorities include increasing agricultural productivity, integrating climate resilience, and transitioning to healthier diets through nutrition education and social protection. The report highlights a critical underfunding of long-term agricultural investments compared to short-term emergency food assistance.

The PV Cool Kenya project, a collaboration between Phaesun, Solar Cooling Engineering, and Strathmore University, installed three solar-powered cooling systems based on the SelfChill concept in Kenya. These systems include a 500-litre milk cooling tank in Bungoma, an ice maker for fishermen on Lake Victoria, and a cold room for fruit and herbs in Thika. The project aimed to increase productivity and income for smallholder farmers who lack grid electricity. Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project concluded in June 2022 and included technical training at Strathmore University’s Solar Center.

The ESMP outlines the environmental and social requirements for four 2022 activities: a herbal tea production unit in Bumdeling, solar dryer parabola domes in Drametse, a honey processing unit in Khotokha, and a bamboo processing unit in Gongdue. It identifies potential risks such as vegetation loss, construction waste, and worker safety, providing specific mitigation measures and monitoring frameworks. The plan emphasizes the use of indigenous knowledge and the promotion of rural livelihoods through sustainable non-wood forest product (NWFP) management, while adhering to WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP) and national laws.

The document examines how climate change increases post-harvest losses in Kenya and Uganda through heightened pest and disease pressure, and proposes hermetic storage technologies (HSTs) as a solution to improve food security and farmer livelihoods.