Solar Food Dehydrator by Growpoint International

Apollo Karuga, a recognized Kenyan Food Systems Hero by the UN’s FAO, aimed to address Kenya’s broken food system by developing an affordable, eco-friendly solution for smallholder farmers to preserve food throughout different seasons. Karuga, through his team at Grow Point International, created a solar food dehydrator designed to reduce moisture in food and extend shelf life. The dehydrator, made from locally available materials, utilizes a solar panel, blackpainted buckets for heat absorption, and wire mesh to hold the food. Temperature readings taken during prototype testing demonstrated its effectiveness in drying fruits like tomatoes, bananas, and mangoes. The project’s success in Kenya and Tanzania has shown its potential to reduce food waste and improve food systems by empowering smallholder farmers. However, challenges in scaling the technology and providing community training and capacity building remain. Despite these challenges, the project has received recognition for its innovation and sustainability.