Tanzania’s tomato harvest goes to waste: solar-powered chilly storage could possibly be a sustainable resolution

Feeding Africa’s growing population is an enormous growth problem for governments, coverage makers and agriculture consultants. Including to the problem is the excessive degree of meals loss and waste that almost all small-scale farmers expertise.

The African Postharvest Losses Data System reports point out that nations in Africa waste greater than 30% of contemporary vegetables and fruit by means of inefficient post-harvest administration. The affect of this loss and waste is extreme on smallholders who depend on farming for a dwelling. The Rockefeller Foundation has warned that inefficient post-harvest infrastructure may trigger thousands and thousands of agriculture-dependent households in Africa to fall again into excessive poverty.

The area urgently wants options to scale back meals loss and waste.

Tanzania is without doubt one of the nations that have this downside. The east African nation is an agriculture-based financial system with small-scale farmers dominating the sector. Most small-scale farmers reside in areas the place entry to electrical energy is restricted. Because of this, they don’t have chilly storage services for his or her contemporary greens and fruits. With a scarcity of chilly storage, nearly 30% of contemporary produce in Tanzania perish earlier than they get to shoppers. For contemporary tomatoes, as a lot as 50% is misplaced earlier than reaching markets attributable to poor storage circumstances.

Not too long ago, solar-powered chilly storage services have emerged as a possible resolution. These services are already benefiting 1000’s of farmers and merchants in Nigeria. However they aren’t reaching many others throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

In my recent research, I examined what was holding again progress. Specializing in tomato farming in Kilolo district in south-east Tanzania, I spoke to farmers, photo voltaic power consultants and coverage consultants to discover what must be achieved to enhance entry to chilly storage services. I discovered that the obstacles to uptake have been restricted consciousness, the price of the know-how, farmers’ low capability to pay, and client choice for non-refrigerated meals. Sensible coverage interventions would come with incentives to draw funding, cost flexibility to make know-how extra reasonably priced, and higher consciousness of the advantages of chilly storage.

What causes tomato losses

Tomato manufacturing has big agribusiness potential in Tanzania. Nonetheless, small-scale farmers are confronted with a number of post-harvest administration challenges.

In my interactions with farmers, I observed that almost all tomatoes received broken quickly after harvesting attributable to poor dealing with, lack of correct storage and using motorbikes to move tomatoes from farms to distant wholesale markets.

On account of a scarcity of storage services, farmers with out pre-orders stored their harvest in a shaded open area whereas ready for patrons. Some reported treating matured tomatoes with chemical compounds to delay ripening whereas ready for patrons. Or they merely delayed harvesting them. When the rain comes, most tomatoes get spoiled in a short time. On account of all these components, post-harvest tomato losses could possibly be as excessive as 60%.

Photo voltaic-powered chilly storage know-how

Tanzania has made vital progress in rising entry to photo voltaic power applied sciences for rural populations. About 70% of rural households use home equipment powered by photo voltaic. However excessive funding prices stay probably the most vital barrier to uptake.

A photo voltaic professional informed me a 40ft solar-powered chilly storage facility may price about US$20,000 to arrange. Given that almost all small-scale farmers are low-income earners, such a facility is past their means. On account of small market share and the numerous upfront prices concerned, photo voltaic corporations have been reluctant to enterprise into the chilly storage know-how enterprise, added this photo voltaic professional. The capital price constraint can be linked to poor financing for renewable power programmes. In a number of components of Africa, together with Tanzania, inadequate international direct funding for photo voltaic power initiatives has been recognized as a major impediment to market growth.

Photo voltaic-powered applied sciences are a clear power resolution with environmental advantages. However they’re hardly ever promoted; advertising and marketing is poor. In Tanzania, my interactions with farmers and merchants revealed that the overwhelming majority of the potential market had no primary data of solar-powered chilly storage. They have been focused on utilizing the know-how to minimise losses throughout harvest season. However they weren’t positive how it might have an effect on their enterprise earnings. They wanted extra data.

Farmers and merchants additionally expressed considerations about whether or not their common shoppers can be prepared to purchase chilled or refrigerated tomatoes. I used to be shocked to listen to that this was a possible downside. Based on these farmers, most shoppers in Tanzania want freshly harvested tomatoes. One mentioned:

Distant patrons from Dar es Salaam, Tanga, or Dodoma generally choose to come back straight to the farm and decide the tomatoes they need; often, they like and need you to reap these which might be within the inexperienced stage in order that they don’t spoil throughout transportation. These sorts of patrons won’t purchase tomatoes which have been saved in chilly storage facility.

Specialists prompt that this concern may stem from restricted publicity to chilled and frozen meals amongst native populations in Africa. Photo voltaic service suppliers would wish to pay attention to this market actuality.

Overcoming obstacles

Photo voltaic-powered chilly storage know-how is of prime significance in Africa’s efforts to chop post-harvest losses and attain meals safety, as outlined within the African Union Malabo Declaration. However prices and affordability make it very difficult for African-based photo voltaic service suppliers. Personal sector participation can be wanted to extend financing and funding for chilly storage applied sciences in rising markets reminiscent of Tanzania. This will solely be realised underneath a supportive regulatory setting and modern coverage incentives that entice capital.

The excellent news is that in the previous few years, non-public financing for renewable power programmes in creating nations has more than doubled. The alternatives are opening up for African-based photo voltaic corporations and their potential market.