UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Major Groups

Submitting organization:

Affiliation:	- Women

Initiative Title:	Uganda: Solar Dryers Help Women Market their Produce

Internet links:	http://www.energia.org/resources/newsletter/enarchive.html

Scope:	National: - Uganda

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Lead Institution:	FAO, UNDP

Stakeholders/Partners:	FAO, UNDP, Ugandan government, Ugandan rural women, Ugandan female dried fruit producers, traders and entrepreneurs

Relevent issues:	- Energy and rural development - Increasing access to energy for the poor - Innovative financing solutions and technology transfer - Renewable energy including hydro power - Industrial developments impact on poverty and social development

Objectives/Challenges:

• Solar drying without the disadvantages of leaving crop vulnerable to rain and pests
• Long-term storage of crop for home use and export
• Development of income generation for women

Lessons Learned:

• Successful introduction of modern solar dryers in developing countries depends upon their ability to generate income for their users
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is not an immediate priority for rural communities in developing countries
• Local solutions can create global possibilities for marketing and trade

Summary:

Crops in Africa have traditionally been solar dried in order to preserve them. However, crops left outdoors are vulnerable to pests and need an attendant to guard them. Lack of control over the drying process can also result in under- or over-drying and consequent loss of overall quality.

In Uganda, an FAO/UNDP post-harvest program recommended small-scale solar dryers for long-term storage and household consumption of fruit and vegetables. However, rural women's groups were more interested in solar dryers for income generation than for food security. Subsequently, the “Fruits of the Nile” company was formed in 1992 to link rural producers with the market for dried fruit in Europe. Within three years, more than 50 women’s groups had taken up the solar drier technology, and in 1995, the company exported more than 40 tons of dried fruit. The dried fruit is produced by the women’s groups and transported to a central collection point in Kampala. Produce is then inspected for quality and exported to a marketing group in the UK. The Matinyani Women’s development Group uses solar dryers to dry mangoes. In thirteen weeks, each of the women in the group earns 6000 Kshs to supplement their income. They produce over 3 tons in one season. The mangoes have been tested in London, Brussels, and Tokyo and have been recommended as the best in the world.

Not only are the women gaining significant income, but original food security concerns are also being addressed as the women use the solar dryers to preserve their vegetables and fruits for home storage and consumption.