SOLARED Coffee Project

Solar Driers to Improve Production in the SOLARED Coffee Project in Kenya

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Last edit made by Helen Mengs on 2024-05-07. This is a wiki, do not hesitate to update information by clicking on "Edit with form".

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Key Data

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Organisation

Africa Fairtrade Network Limited

Duration

March 2020 - July 2022

Project Description

In order for solar drying systems to become established in the coffee cooperatives involved, Fairtrade Africa informs them about the new technology and installs nine solar coffee dryers in nine producer organizations and an additional eight solar dryers financed by producer organizations. Three cooperatives working with Fairtrade Africa are already experienced with solar drying systems due to their involvement in pilot projects. Part of the project is to adapt the design of the systems to local conditions and thereby improve them. In addition, Fairtrade produces manuals for the design, installation and maintenance of the dryers as well as training manuals that contain best practice examples from the three pilot projects as well as from other countries. Together with the Coffee Research Institute, Fairtrade conducts training of trainers and courses for its cooperatives. The improved drying of the coffee as a result of the measures presented increases its quality and thereby the income and economic situation of the producing farmers.

The idea of using solar-powered PV systems for coffee drying is underutilized itself so far in Kenya. Accordingly, the project establishes a new technology application in Kenya that fits well into an existing value chain system. In addition to that, the project considers the whole value chain when setting up its cooperation system. Fairtrade also works together with coffee marketing organisations which provide financial support for financing solar dryers in terms of loan advances. The effects of the new coffee drying technique are immediately observable: Time used to dry coffee beans is reduced from an average of 14 days to an average of five days. As a direct result of this, no backlog of clearing dry beans at the factory adds up. Furthermore, the beans dry uniformly due to regulated temperature which improves the overall coffee quality which in turn directly translates to increased prices at the markets and returns to the farmer.

GBE Component

Small Projects Fund

Categories

• Productive Use
• Community-based Approaches
• Skills Development

Factsheet

Location

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Country SPF

Kenya

Geographic coordinates of project site

{{#geocode: -0.32471, 36.92976}}

Latitude            Longitude

{{#display_map: coordinates=-0.32471, 36.92976|zoom=6|height=200|width=400|service=openlayers|center=-0.32471, 36.92976 }}

• Solar Driers to Improve Production in the SOLARED Coffee Project in Kenya
• Productive Use

• Community-based Approaches
• Skills Development