Project Title:  Scaling-Up Solar Drying to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses (PHL) In Kenya - Opportunities for Inclusive Climate - Action Enterprises Project

1.0 Background of the project

The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), whose mission is to harness science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development in Africa in partnership with Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute and UNEP are implementing the Scaling-up Solar Drying Project. The project consortium seeks to scale-up the proof-of-concept of climate-action solutions of low-cost solar drying technology enterprises to reduce PHLs and drive realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leveraging lessons from UNEP‘s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security (EBAFOSA) initiative.

This project has four aspect i) Supporting, through capacity building, diverse young women and men to enhance skills and collaborate in low-cost, quality solar-dryers technology development and deployment as enterprises; ii) Mobilizing, farmers, youth and women groups to establish solar drying centers; iii) Delivering solar drying services through “pay-as-you go” and other business models to farming communities to reduce post-harvest loss and develop quality dried food products; and iv) Generating evidence on uptake and viability of these inclusive climate-action solution focused enterprises and to inform pro-SDGs cross-sectoral policies.

 

1.1 Project vision, objectives and main activities

The project vision and objectives are; i) to accelerate bridging the $500million PHLs gap in Kenya by scaling-up the solution in more locations. ii) Scale-up support to youth-led SMEs to deploy more affordable solar dryers. The target is to deploy 500 low-cost dryers over 5 years reaching over 40,000 smallholders.  iii)Grow market  for “pay as you dry” services across various agri-value chains for optimal dehydration of healthy, safe, nutritious food products and iv) Expand inclusive entrepreneurship and green jobs especially for youth and women in agro-processing.

The project delivery is anchored on three components:

1. Fabrication of quality KIRDI designed all season solar dyers: The project will competitively identify local, youth-led fabrication enterprises who can deliver the solar dryers in collaboration with the project partners. skills are retooled through training, business plan development support and access to finance
2. Optimizing business models: Building upon the EBAFOSA’s successful model of “cooperating around solutions”.  Solar drying as service model is generated for increased access of the co-operatives and farmer groups to clean energy solutions. The project will explore complementary partnerships among private sector financiers, low-emission technology suppliers and advisory service providers to facilitate credit access to agro-value chain actors.
3. Business and Knowledge hub to scale climate-solutions: An online platform will be established to enable B2B linkages and growth of an innovation ecosystem related to solar drying ,facilitate learning and sharing of best practices, research insights that can guide policy and investment decisions to scale-up solar drying and success stories and facilitate learning.

 

2.0 Expression of interest for partnership and business engagement with the solar dryers project

To achieve the project vision we invite expression of interest for partnership and business engagement from interested and motivated individuals or groups in main areas noted below. To express interest we invite you to complete the relevant application form under these different categories that will provide us with more information that can allow us to better understand your interest and fit with the project.  Details of the necessary information needed is provided in the forms.

1. Solar dryer fabrication enterprises especially youth-led, including those that may be involved in other fabrications business but with interest to venture into solar-dryers.
2. Established groups or cooperatives including farmers, youth, women already or interested in acquisition/purchase of solar-dryers
3. Micro-small or medium enterprises (MSMEs) agro-processors and other value addition enterprises
4. NGO or development agencies working with smallholder farmers or micro-small or medium enterprises (MSMEs)
5. Financial institutions interested to partner to enable financial support for acquisition of the solar dryers to individual farmers and farmer groups/associations/cooperative
6. Training Institutions, especially organization providing fabrication and food quality trainings as well as other business development support (BDS) services.

 

How to submit your expression of interest.

Submit your application form. Click Here to access the Application forms.

We kindly request you to provide all the required information. Incomplete forms will make it difficult to fully assess your expression of interest

Any queries or questions about this call for expression of interest can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in copy with “Solar Dryers Project Partnerships” in the subject heading.