SolarSAVER-Solar Powered Modular Food Drying System to Reduce Food Losses for Off Grid Africa

The project (SOLARSAVER) focuses on converting agricultural, food processing by-products and side streams to value-added, long shelf-life food ingredients and biotechnical products while at the same time generating water for irrigation and drinking purposes. As fruit and vegetable products have high moisture content, the key target is to significantly reduce the energy consumption, operating costs, and carbon footprint of conventional drying techniques using an innovative low-temperature drying step which also yields potable water as a side product. The project aims at creating value for small- and large-scale sub-Saharan agricultural producers and other stakeholders by adding a new sustainable technical and processing solution delivered at a pricing level suitable for deployment in Africa and Europe to create highly nutritious products for both markets, while also providing water especially in water-stressed regions. The processing solution is such that it can be easily deployed on-farm at different degrees of decentralisation, and in centralised small, medium and large-scale industrial sites. Hence, diffferent sections of society such as the poor (majority of farmers) and women (about 50%) are catered for. Extensive operations are planned with partners in Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa.