Kenya Solar Cold Storage

OFSP is the most widely disseminated vitamin-A rich biofortified crop. A consistent, year-round supply of quality roots is critical to expanding availability of OFSP and derived products, especially to urban consumers. USDA is seeking to support identifying a sustainable, economically advantageous, solar powered, cold storage system to handle two commodities that can be used for OFSP roots (for processing into puree and fresh root use), and onions. The cold storage should be flexible to handle both local and imported agricultural products. The intention is to determine and establish the economic viability of small solar-powered containers to facilitate a year-round supply of root crops.

The recipient will work in collaboration with the USDA/FAS, the International Potato Center (CIP) and other Kenyan partners, such as the Kenyan government and other stakeholders in the Kenya Home Grown School Meals Program (HGSMP). It is anticipated that the recipient will obtain, install, and instruct Kenyan partners (i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture and a farmers organization) in their operation, analysis of pertinent value chains, and interpretation of findings. The solar cold storage containers are expected to help strengthen local market systems (including producers, processors and traders) for root crops by reducing losses from decay, reducing energy costs, and improving nutrition by increasing access to and the use of various high quality, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods in school meals.

Program Objectives

Anticipated products from this project are:

1. Two solar cold storage units manufactured in Kenya or elsewhere, and installed in Kenya, one with the Government of Kenya, and the other with a farmer organization

2. Train the Kenyan operators of the two facilities on how to store root and pureed sweet potatoes, and onions, and how to properly manage the facility using digital and airflow technology

3. Align this pilot project to complement other work in Kenya on OFSP and Onion value chains