This hub is a knowledge and business platform that seeks to advance innovation related to quality, low-carbon emission quality solar dryers’ technology related business in Africa. The aim is to make quality solar drying technology and drying services that can make them accessible and affordable as solution to reducing post - harvest loss (PHL) and for enhancing agribusiness in value addition.
The hub has two components:
- The Knowledge hub - seeks to share start-of-the art research, case studies, guides and tools, policy matters related to various aspects of solar dryers and solar drying process,
- The business hub: The is an online platform that seeks to enable B2B linkages related to solar dryer/drying. It is an e-commerce or marketplaces platform promoting solar drying related businesses.
The hub was established through seed funding from the Scaling-Up Solar Drying to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses (P) In Kenya - Opportunities for Inclusive Climate-Action Enterprises Project. The project is implemented by African Center of Technology Studies (ACTS), in partnership with Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute and United Nations Environment Programme. The Project is funded by Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) through the Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge.
The project focus is on scaling climate-action low-cost solar drying technology enterprises building on UNEP’s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security (EBAFOSA) initiative that tested dissemination of low-cost solar drying technology and drying as business (pay-as-you dry)” models through collective action among smallholder communities, and to drive realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in various countries in the region.
This scaling-up low solar dryer project has three components:
This scaling-up low solar dryer project has three components:
(i). Fabrication of solar dyers
The focus is on supporting and enhancing the capacity of fabricators of solar dryers, paying attention to youth-led enterprises to deliver quality standard technology to the market. This will be done through reskills are retooled through targeted training, business plan development support and facilitating access to finance.
(ii). Optimizing business models
The project will explore complementary partnerships among private sector financiers, low-emission technology suppliers and advisory service providers to facilitate credit access to agri-value chain actors.
(iii). Establishment of a Knowledge and Business hub to scale up climate-solutions
An online platform will enable B2B linkages and share relevant knowledge related to solar drying technology and solar drying processes
The vision of scaling quality solar dryer technical and business innovation is to:
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Accelerate bridging the $500million PHLs gap in Kenya by scaling-up the solution in more locations.
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Scaling-up support to SMEs, including those that are youth-led to deploy affordable solar dryers. The target is 500 low-cost dryers over 5 years reaching over 40,000 smallholders.
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Grow the market for “solar drying agribusiness and other novel modes such as “pay as you dry” services focused on various agri-value chains for optimal dehydration of healthy, safe, nutritious food products and,
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Expand inclusive entrepreneurship and green jobs especially for youth and women in agro processing.
