Solar power for onions

Challenge

In Senegal, despite the efforts of some onion producers to increase their productivity, the lack of adequate storage solutions forces them to sell their harvests immediately, often at low prices. Additionally, some rural areas do not yet have continuous access to electricity, which makes refrigeration difficult.

Innovative solution

Since 2020, Ibriz has been supplying solar pumping and irrigation systems. Partnerships have been set up with microfinance institutions to enable their customers to repay their investment in instalments. As productivity has increased, Ibriz’s customers have been faced with another challenge: storing the harvest adequately and avoiding post-harvest losses. To address this issue, Ibriz now offers refrigerated storage units powered by solar energy, monitored remotely via a platform that tracks both internal and external temperature conditions.

Impact

• Installation of three new storage units for onion producer cooperatives in the Niayes region (20,000 members)
• Average increase of min 20% in producers’ income thanks to the storage solution
• Access for 230 additional vegetable farmers to a pumping and irrigation system using solar panels
• Reduction in CO2 emissions