‘Solar solutions can curb post-harvest losses’
Solar-powered technologies can substantially reduce food-loss value in agriculture, Chief Executive SMEFUNDS, Dr Femi Oye, has said. Globally, about 526 million tons of food loss annually are linked to inadequate
- By Daniel Essiet
Solar-powered technologies can substantially reduce food-loss value in agriculture, Chief Executive SMEFUNDS, Dr Femi Oye, has said.
Globally, about 526 million tons of food loss annually are linked to inadequate cooling and energy infrastructure, including the lack of refrigeration and reliable power for storage and transport.
According to him, Nigeria’s staggering post-harvest losses of between N3 trillion and N5 trillion, which constitute about 30 to 50 per cent of total annual output, are neither surprising nor excusable.
Oye noted that solar-powered cold chains and drying systems could significantly cut cooling-related losses, estimating that 20 to 30 per cent of losses could be avoided, translating into millions of naira saved annually.
Citing a global report, he said the value of food lost and wasted worldwide is estimated at roughly $1 trillion per year, with post-harvest and processing losses alone accounting for hundreds of billions of dollars.
He explained that renewable energy-driven post-harvest improvements, including solar solutions, could enable the government, working with the private sector, to reduce losses along smallholder value chains by 30 to 40 per cent.
According to him, studies and pilot projects suggest that solar-powered cold storage can cut post-harvest losses for fruits and vegetables by about 30 to 50 per cent. This means that large-scale adoption could reduce monetary loss value by roughly $2 billion to $4 billion per year in Nigeria alone, depending on coverage and crop mix.
He added that a study on solar energy in roots and tubers in Africa found that solar-assisted drying and processing can reduce post-harvest losses in cassava value chains by up to 44 per cent, implying major monetary savings given the huge volumes traded.
In Nigeria, he said solar-powered cold storage pilots have increased the shelf life of horticultural produce from days to weeks, raised sales volumes and demonstrated positive net present value (NPV) and long-run economic gains, indicating that avoided losses outweigh the initial investment.
According to Power for All, an international organisation, utilising decentralised renewable energy (DRE), such as solar, to power post-harvest processes including handling, storage and value addition could help alleviate food loss among smallholder farmers while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
It noted that Productive Use Leveraging Solar Energy (PULSE) solutions can impact almost every segment of sub-Saharan Africa’s agri-food value chain by increasing yields and harvest cycles, reducing costs and curbing losses.
The Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa said Nigeria recorded between N3.5 trillion and N5 trillion in post-harvest losses in 2025, representing a significant share of the country’s $334.34 billion gross domestic product.
Recently, the World Bank approved $50 million to expand solar-powered agricultural solutions in Nigeria and five other African countries, aiming to boost productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and expand access to clean energy.
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The development was disclosed through programme updates involving the World Bank and its partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation.
The funding will support the deployment of solar-powered cold rooms, refrigerators, water pumps and grain mills across Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with implementation led by Clasp, a Washington, DC-based non-profit organisation focused on energy efficiency and clean energy access.
The World Bank-backed initiative has attracted strong support from development partners, with officials indicating that the programme could expand further as country-level implementation gathers pace.
The Rockefeller Foundation, which has already committed $12 million to the scheme, has signalled that additional resources may be deployed over time.
“There is always the ability to scale that up,” the President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Rajiv Shah, said during a visit to a solar-powered cold storage facility operated by SokoFresh in Nairobi.
