Solakilimo Solutions Limited is a Kenyan-based company that specializes in solar-powered cold storage solutions for farmers and fresh food traders. Our mission is to tackle post-harvest losses by offering a sustainable, cost-effective storage alternative that preserves perishable food while helping farmers maximize their profits.
Solakilimo Solutions Limited is a Kenyan-based company that specializes in solar-powered cold storage solutions for farmers and fresh food traders. Our mission is to tackle post-harvest losses by offering a sustainable, cost-effective storage alternative that preserves perishable food while helping farmers maximize their profits.
Farmers Served
Post-Harvest Loss Reduction
Freshness Extended
Increased Earnings
Kenyan farmers lose 40-60% of their harvest annually due to lack of an efficient market linkage system as well as absence of a large-scale climate-proof storage capacity. This severely impacts the incomes of a large majority of Kenyan farmers, of which nearly 86% barely manage to earn out a living, earning less than USD 1,000 a year for all their toil and effort. Energy expenses account for about 30-35% of total expenses in cold storage in Kenya. This means that electrical energy is a major running cost to maintain the cold storage facility. Moreover, grid power supply in the rural areas is very poor with respect to its quantity and quality. This is one of the main reasons behind the abysmally low penetration of cold storage rooms in Kenya and the clear absence of an integrated cold chain that can store, preserve and transport perishable goods like fish, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits.
We are providing solar powered cold storage on a Pay-as-you preserve basis for these farmers. The solar-powered cold storage offers an ideal response to the needs of Kenyan farmers as it adequately addresses the problem of post-harvest losses in fish, fruits, vegetables and other perishable food. In this, the produce is placed in clean plastic crates, which are then stacked inside the cold room. This extends the freshness of fish, fruits, vegetables and other perishable food from two days to about 21 days. Cold rooms are well insulated in order to maintain the necessary temperature, often up to 8°C. The energy comes from the solar panels that are mounted on the roof-top of the cold room and is stored in high-capacity batteries that feed an inverter, which in turn feeds the refrigerating unit. The farmers can comfortably look for the best market for their fruits and vegetables up to 21 days.
Our flagship product is an off-grid, solar-powered cold storage facility designed to preserve perishable produce like fish, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. These units operate on clean solar energy, ensuring temperature-controlled storage (up to 8°C) to extend freshness from 2 days to 21 days.
For farmers and traders who need on-the-go refrigeration, we offer portable solar-powered cold storage units. These are ideal for transporting fresh produce while maintaining optimal temperatures, ensuring that food reaches the market fresh.
We offer business opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to invest in sustainable agribusiness. Our franchise model allows individuals and cooperatives to own and operate Solakilimo cold storage units in different regions, helping scale up the solution across Africa.
Beyond storage, we help farmers connect with profitable urban markets, ensuring they get the best prices for their fresh produce. Our platform enables farmers to: