Enhancing Resilience and Efficiency: Addressing Post-Harvest Losses Nigeria’s Largest Perishable Food Market through Innovative Solar Cooling Rooms

RES-Project Nigeria: A Catalyst for Change

The RES Project Nigeria is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the German Energy Solutions Initiative. This initiative aligns with the Renewable-Energy-Solutions (RES) Programme, which seeks to support the dissemination of knowledge about solar-powered cooling technology and promote the SelfChill brand. The RES-Project Nigeria has been instrumental in promoting collaboration between the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Ecotutu as key Nigerian partners, Phaesun GmbH, and Solar Cooling Engineering GmbH from Germany under the SelfChill brand. The RES-Project Nigeria has played a pivotal role in generating promotional and informational activities for SelfChill products in the Nigerian market. These high-level interactions between the Nigerian public and private sector are crucial for raising awareness of Ecotutu´s excellent mission to create a real impact in the agricultural value chain as the official distribution partner for SelfChill in Nigeria.

Empowering Nigeria for a Sustainable Future

The collaboration between SelfChill and Ecotutu signifies a reduction of post-harvest losses and a move towards more sustainable agriculture and a greener future. Introducing solar-powered cold rooms at Mile 12 International Market resulted in a potential solution for preserving agricultural produce. The launch event gathered experts and stakeholders who were interested in the SelfChill approach, which shows great potential to revolutionize Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. As the nation deals with post-harvest losses, this innovative solution encourages hope, ensuring food security and economic stability.

Supporting the Vision of Food Security

Stakeholders and experts in Nigeria’s cold chain sector are backing the SelfChill technology as a promising solution to combat the persistent problem of post-harvest losses, a challenge many farmers in the country struggle with. This collaborative effort between Ecotutu, NSPRI, Phaesun and Solar Cooling Engineering under the SelfChill brand demonstrates a significant leap forward. Weert Boner, the General Consul of Germany in Nigeria, emphasized the pressing need for efficient cooling systems in Nigeria to enhance food security and agricultural productivity. He recognized the pivotal role of cooling within the agricultural value chain and the potential for innovative solutions, such as SelfChill, to substantially reduce produce losses, a critical challenge facing Nigeria.

NSPRI’s Commitment to Localizing Technology

Dr. Michael Omodara, as a representatve of NSPRI, expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration and emphasized the need to deploy this technology across Nigeria. NSPRI has diligently worked on adapting and adopting the technology over the past three years. Dr. Omodara highlighted the flexibility of the SelfChill technology and how the system can be tailored to the users‘ specific needs. Moreover, he emphasized NSPRI’s readiness to provide technical support. Furthermore, he enthusiastically called on private individuals and organizations to join the initiative.

Ecotutu Promoting Agricultural Excellence

Michael Akinsete, Chief Marketing Officer at Ecotutu, shared their strategy, which focuses on increasing awareness, facilitating rapid adoption, and providing essential components for implementing the SelfChill technology. Not to mention, the collaboration with local and foreign partners, capacity building and community engagement have been instrumental in their company’s success. Ecotutu provides a solution and helps actively change mindsets and cultural practices to reduce post-harvest losses.

Emphasis on SelfChill technology

Dr. Alexander Isong, the President of the Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA), highlighted the importance of technology in assisting farmers from the farm gate. He emphasized the need for pre-cooling at the farm gate, recognizing the value of cold room solutions even for seedlings. OTACCWA sees SelfChill as a technological solution for farmers, offering an essential tool for preserving agricultural produce. Dr. Augustine Okoruwa of GAIN confirmed the opinions of the previous participants, emphasizing the significance of addressing post-harvest losses and the essential role of cold chain solutions in preserving agricultural produce.

A Transformative Collaboration

As we reflect on this transformative event, we invite all stakeholders to join the solar revolution. Together, we can drive innovation, reduce waste, ensure food security, and pave the way for a more sustainable agricultural future. The collaboration among SelfChill, NSPRI and Ecotutu is just the beginning of a hopeful future for Nigeria’s agriculture.