Across Africa, extreme drought, floods and pest infestations are impeding the availability, accessibility, and stability of nutritious food for hundreds of millions of people. Reminders of these intense events are common, and will become more frequent, especially in Africa where the continent’s poverty, food insecurity, and low adaptive capacity make it even more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Climate mitigation and adaptation solutions are necessary as we work to stabilize global warming. We know that every small effort matters. That is why Bountifield has recently partnered with Kijani Testing to test new climate-friendly solar dryer technologies for our entrepreneurs with support from the Quaker Hill Foundation. Kijani is a Kenyan start-up that focuses on providing field trials and market testing services to renewable energy, off-grid appliances and equipment meant to positively impact the lives of surrounding communities.
From Sun Drying to Solar Drying
Historically, farmers tend to sun dry their crops once harvested. The woes of doing so include the significant amount of time it takes and the frequent exposure to contamination from bacteria, dust and pests. Solar dryers are a great solution to help farmers address these challenges, saving time, effort, and money while significantly reducing food loss.
Dryers are an emerging application of solar technology and are relatively new in the Kenyan agro-processing sector that leads to reduction in drying time and cleaner and better-quality products, free from dust, dirt and insect infestation. Drying has enormous potential to preserve a wide variety of perishable crops including roots and tubers, grains, spices, and fruits and vegetables which can make a big difference in reducing food losses.
Our effort to incorporate new solar technologies is another example of our dedication to building resiliency to climate change and our mission to reduce food loss. In a world where the escalating climate crisis is deepening the food crisis through extreme weather events, it is important to invest in these types of solutions that speak to both bettering the climate and the promotion of food security.
Partnerships for the Goal
Forging partnerships is more crucial than ever to promote sustainable and resilient global food systems for all. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17, we value the importance of global partnerships to reach sustainable development goals. Thank you to Kijani for being such a great partner. We look forward to this continuing relationship.