ACTS is leading a consortium that aims to fabricate 500 low cost dryers over 5 years intended to reach over 40,000 smallholder farmers.
Solar dryers can significantly reduce post-harvest losses by providing a low-cost, energy-efficient method for preserving crops, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. For this reason, ACTS is leading a consortium that aims to fabricate 500 low-cost dryers over 5 years intended to reach over 40,000 smallholder farmers.
The consortium held a 2 day training at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) Kisumu Centre on 4th and 5th April 2023.
The fabricators were taken through intensive sessions on hybrid solar drying technology including; principles and design considerations, safety protocols and regulations, basic fabrication skills such as metal works, welding and soldering; assembling and installation of the biomass component and operation and maintenance procedures.
The purpose of the training was to support solar dryer fabricators to deliver high technology hybrid solar designs.
Present in the training was Dr. Fred Ogutu, Eng. Jackis Aukah and Winstone Nyaguti from KIRDI, James Abaya (Savannah Circuit Technical Limited), Teddy Mweu (EBAgroPamoja Africa Limited), James Nyamai (Bioafriq Energy LTD), Patrick Muriiti (Africa Natural Products), Erastus Matete &Christian Odhiambo Abonyo (Grekkon Limited), Solomon Mutia (Luthekam Solutions) Dr. Catherine Kilelu and Isaiah Omolo (African Centre for Technology Studies ACTS).
A group photo of participants who attended the training of solar dryer fabricators in Kisumu.
The training culminated in a walkshop around the centre where participants viewed various solutions developed by KIRDI in addition to the solar dryer and interacting with fellow fabricators with whom they could exchange thoughts and ideas.
A solar dryer at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), Kisumu.
One of the participants at the training, James Nyamai from Biofriq Energy Limited, said the knowledge gained from the training will help improve the quality of their solar dryers.
‘’This training has really been helpful in terms of getting to understand more about the hybrid dehydrators, how best to calculate some of the parameters scientifically and how to improve the hybrid dehydrators so that we can offer a better product to customers at a low cost’’, said James Nyamai.
ACTS was part of a consortium awarded a grant to scale-up solar dryers to reduce post-harvest loses (PHL) in Kenya. The grant was awarded by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) through the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge. Other members of the consortium implementing the project include the United Nations Environmental programme UNEP) and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI).
The project seeks to scale and commercialize the proof-of-concept of climate action solutions of low-cost solar drying technology enterprises to cut PHLs and drive the realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leveraging lessons from the UNEP Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security (EBAFOSA) initiative advancing this concept.
