Conservation of Agricultural Products in Sub-Saharan Zone by Ecological Off-grid Cold Room, Case of Senegal

Abstract

In this article, we have studied and dimensioned a solar cold room for the preservation of potatoes in sub-Saharan areas. The conservation of post-harvest agricultural products is a major issue in this part of Africa, hence the need to focus our research on off-grid refrigeration installations. In this work, we focused on the use of local materials such as agricultural residues and terracotta for the construction of solar cold rooms. This cold room manufactured in this way has an advantage from an economic point of view because it is less expensive to implement. Its implementation does not require too much qualified labor, which also contributes to saving money for our farmers. The cold room presented in this way is of paramount importance from an ecological point of view, as its operation has no impact on the environment. The proposed solution involves the design and implementation of an off-grid cold room powered by ecological sources, such as solar energy. This system aims to provide reliable and sustainable storage for perishable goods, thereby extending their shelf life and reducing losses. Key considerations include adapting the cold room design to local environmental conditions, integrating renewable energy sources for uninterrupted operation, and optimizing cooling technologies suited for the Sub-Saharan climate. Through a case study focused on Senegal, this research evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of the ecological off-grid cold room in preserving agricultural products. It examines technical aspects such as temperature control, humidity regulation, and energy efficiency, as well as economic factors including cost-effectiveness and scalability. However, alongside this catastrophic humanitarian record, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) notes that around a third of the food produced each year in the world for human consumption is lost or wasted—; that is, i.e. 1.3 billion tonnestons out of the 4 billion foods produced globally. Alone, saving a quarter of the food lost or wasted globally would be enough to feed the 820 million hungry people in the world.