OFF-GRID MILK PRESERVATION SOLUTIONS FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Abstract

Milk production in sub-Saharan African countries has increasingly gained attention from both private and public sectors due to its role in food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods. The emphasis has been on devising strategies to increase production and efficiency within the dairy value chain, with a particular focus on minimizing post-harvest milk losses among smallholder farmers. One of the interventions for reducing these losses is the preservation of milk freshness overnight. Considering that most smallholder dairy farms are located in rural areas with limited or no access to grid electricity, effective solutions need -to rely on renewable energy sources, such as solar or biogas-powered cooling systems. Current milk preservation solutions available in the market vary significantly in terms of storage capacity, ranging from 2.5 liters to 500 liters. Many of these solutions fail to meet the specific needs of smallholder farmers in Uganda and other sub-Saharan African countries, where dairy farming structures and management practices are relatively uniform. A typical smallholder farmer in Uganda, for instance, owns approximately 10 dairy cows and operates on about 2 hectares of land. Despite the availability of various milk preservation technologies, many of these solutions are either too costly or do not align with the production capacities and financial constraints of smallholder farmers. Consequently, post-harvest milk losses remain a persistent challenge, leading to economic losses and reduced profitability for farmers. This study followed an integrative review approach to assess the existing body of literature on existing developed off-grid milk preservation systems piloted in sub-Saharan Africa. Data sources included project websites, published literature, and technology reports. The review aimed at profiling existing technologies, their efficacy and accessibility, and key bottlenecks that hinder the technology adoption in low-resource settings. This review also established a representative price point that aligns with the financial capabilities of smallholder farmers based on prevailing farming practices. By evaluating these factors, the review provides recommendations for solution developers to design context-tailored technologies that can better serve these farmers. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the overall sustainability of the dairy value chain development in sub-Saharan Africa.