Nnameka Ikegwuonu | ColdHubs | Nigeria

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, a Nigerian farmer, social entrepreneur and radio presenter grew frustrated with mounting losses of small shareholder farmers. Local farmers were losing up to 45% of their crops. His project, called ColdHubs, addresses the cold storage needs of farmers by combining the well-established technologies of photovoltaic energy supply and compressive cold generation with a novel concept of pay-as-you-need storage. It was developed to help the 470 million farmers and retailers in developing countries who do not have access to reliable cold storage. ColdHubs are modular, solar-powered cold rooms that provide 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of perishable foods. They are installed in farms and markets within the reach of smallholder farmers and retailers. A ColdHub extends the shelf life of perishable goods from 2 days to 21 days, dramatically changing the lives and fortunes of local farmers.