Nigerian entrepreneur invents a 100% solar-powered refrigeration system that keeps fish, fruit and vegetables from spoiling for farmers, making more nutritious, safe, hygienic food available for Nigerians.
So far the fridges have saved over 20,000 tons of food from spoilage
Arguably one of the great inventions in human history, the refrigerator, is now being introduced to rural fish and produce markets in Nigeria thanks to one entrepreneur’s invention of 100% solar-powered walk-in cold storage rooms. ColdHubs installs these clean, green walk-in fridges at Nigerian markets to help farmers and vendors cut down on spoilage and increase profits. ColdHubs currently serves 3,517 users and their 24 Hubs have saved over 20,000 tons of food from spoilage, increased user income, and created 48 new jobs for women.
At a rental cost of $1 a day, users are able to sell more fresh produce
Nnaemeka C. Ikegwuonu has already received many awards for his pioneering invention ColdHubs, which use transformative technology to tackle several problems at once. — reported GoodNewsNetwork.
Some 6,000 tons of fish are harvested daily on the rural Nigeria side of the Niger Delta, however, due to the tropical climate only 2,000 tons of fish are sold fresh. The story is the same for fruit and vegetables, which can survive on average a maximum of only two days in the West African heat and humidity.
Designed specifically for off-grid areas, ColdHubs employ rooftop solar panels to generate enough electricity to power the units in all weather conditions, while providing reliable 24/7 autonomous refrigeration. This cuts down on spoilage, but also leads to much higher profits.
For example: a bag of fresh bonga fish should fetch between $20 and $40, however, without cold-storage facilities, fishermen either sell the same bag for much less to avoid spoilage, or they smoke or dry the fish and sell it days later—while accepting much less due to the higher value and demand that fresh fish commands.
ColdHubs currently serves 3,517 farmers and fishermen. The company has so far installed 24 Hubs, saving over 20,000 tons of food from spoilage, and employing 48 women to service the refrigerators. At a rental cost of $1 a day on a pay-as-you-go subscription model, users can increase their income by being able to sell more fresh food.
Source: GoodNewsNetwork
The fridges increase vendor and farmer profits by 25% on average
Formerly an agricultural radio host, Ikegwuonu grew up on a farm and understands that food spoilage is a major impediment to farmers’ livelihoods.
ColdHub fridges can extend the life of fruit and vegetables from two to 21 days. This increases vendor and farmer profits by 25% on average, says the company. It also increases entrepreneurial energy among the users, as literal days of their life are freed up from having to spend time buying, sourcing, shipping, or throwing away extra produce.
Ikegwuonu won the 2020 Waislitz Global Citizen Disruptor Award and its $50,000 cash prize, which he says he will use “to build two ColdHubs in two fruit and vegetable markets, saving 3,285 tons of food from spoilage yearly, increase the income of 200 users, and create four new jobs for women.”
For Ikegwuonu there’s more than money to the equation.
Ikegwuonu told Global Citizen., “Tackling food spoilage is important because, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), it is estimated that a 10% reduction in global food loss will result in an 11% decrease in hunger, and a 4% decrease in child malnutrition worldwide.”
“In Nigeria, a 35% reduction in post-harvest tomato loss alone would [impact] vitamin A deficiency for up to 1.1 million children per day,” he added.
It’s a classic economic case of ‘what is seen and what is unseen.’ And Ikegwuonu, Nigeria, and even the world, might never understand how much entrepreneurial, educational, or economic advances could arise from ColdHubs’ presence in the country.
Source: GoodNewsNetwork
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