Testing the feasibility of solar cooling for Kenyan dairy farmers

A pilot group of dairy farmers across three Kenyan counties have been testing the impact of solar refrigeration on reducing waste and milk spoilage. The three-month pilot showed dramatic reductions in product loss combined with increases in farm productivity and income.  The pilot was run by our long-term partner SureChill.  

SureChill fridge pilot

SureChill has more than a decade of experience in medical refrigeration, with more than 30,000 fridges installed in 75 countries. We have supported SureChill since 2020 to expand into the domestic and small business sectors. Our support is co-funded with UK aid from the UK government through the Transforming Energy Access platform. 

As part of the domestic and small business transition, 20 dairy farmers across Nakuru, Bomet and Kiambu counties piloted using the SureChill fridge and researchers tracked impact.  

Critical challenges

Farmers in the dairy industry, 40% of which are women, face several critical issues: 

• High product loss at the farm gate. In Kenya, 290 million litres of milk was lost before even leaving the  farm in 2023. These losses were particularly severe during evening milk collections due to challenges preserving the milk overnight.  
• Quality issues, due to the use of preservatives like hydrogen peroxide, mixing with water, and improper storage. Compromised milk quality leads to rejection by value chain partners. 
• Value chain inefficiencies: Inconsistent supply and quality creates power imbalances with processors and farm cooperatives and creates price uncertainties for farmers.   

Positive Impacts

The pilot reported several positive impacts including less spoilage, more sales, and resulting upturns in farm productivity and income levels.

Amongst the impact stats, the pilot farmers reported a 123% increase in their daily operating profit. Encouragingly, 86% of the farmers involved in the pilot said they would be interested using their increased earnings to take the fridge on a cooling-as-a-service basis. A quarter expressed enthusiasm in using the fridge to sell directly at market.

Clean energy solutions that increase incomes for farmers are key to creating deep and lasting change. As a core target customer for Shell Foundation, we are excited to continue working with SureChill to scale the reach of their technology into the hands of millions of farmers across several value chains.