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WHEELS affordable zero-energy cold-storage solution for small farmers and retailers
The Subjee Cooler operates without electricity, solar power, or diesel, relying instead on just water. It provides an affordable, recurring-cost-free and eco-friendly storage solution to small farmers, retailers, and vegetable sellers, enhancing their income as well as saving on the unsold inventory wasted every day.
WHEELS Zero Energy Solution - The Subjee Cooler by RuKart for Small Farmers and Retailers / Courtesy- WHEELS Global
Small farmers and retailers in India encounter considerable difficulties in preserving farm produce due to the absence of affordable and accessible cold storage solutions. With 30% of all fruits and vegetables being lost in the form of daily unsold inventory, and two-thirds of that loss occurring at the farm level, there is a critical need for effective & affordable storage options for these farmers & retailers with very limited income and daily sales volumes.
The existing barriers include the high costs associated with traditional storage technologies, limited penetration of cold storage facilities, and inconsistent availability of electricity (at times only 2-3 hours a day) that traditional cold storage freezers require.
Considering the challenges, WHEELS Global Foundation (Pan IIT alumni giving back platform) has selected an innovative solution – ‘Subjee Cooler’ made by a group of young IIT Bombay alumni through their start-up called Rukart. The Subjee Cooler operates without electricity, solar power, or diesel, relying instead on just water. It provides an affordable, recurring-cost-free and eco-friendly storage solution to small farmers, retailers, and vegetable sellers, enhancing their income as well as saving on the unsold inventory wasted every day.
The Subjee Cooler also serves a vital role in providing sustainable storage options in no electricity and load-shedding areas for vendors selling fruits and vegetables. At about Rs 30,000 for a 50-kg box and Rs 50,000 for a 100-kg box, it provides the vegetable sellers a payback within just 4-6 months, increasing their daily income by 30-40%, along with reducing wastage and environmental impact.
Improving access to refrigeration is crucial, especially considering that 745 million people lack electricity and 3.5 billion experience frequent power cuts worldwide.
The Energy solution from WHEELS partner RuKart has now added a new product in their line to also meet the needs of rural households with a home-based Subjee Cooler to give 5-7 days of shelf life to the daily-use items such as milk, vegetables, fruits, etc. with consumption of only 5 liters of water per day. With no worries about extensive power cuts causing spoilage of food, while saving money and the environment.
Additionally, one Subjee Cooler can save approximately 4,500 kg of CO2 annually compared to an electricity-powered cold room of similar size, equating to the CO2 savings of 16 fully grown trees. Traditional fridges consume substantial energy and contain refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP).
This significant environmental impact highlights the Cooler’s potential in reducing the carbon footprint of food storage. This technology aims to bridge the gap in cold storage solutions, contributing to poverty eradication (SDG 1), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), and economic growth (SDG 8).
WHEELS Global Foundation has been enabling the scaling of this innovative solution by introducing it to social impact partner networks across India, with the recent example of partner NGO Mukti Foundation deploying several units in southern West Bengal. RuKart now operates across 10 states in Eastern, Central, and Southern India. The solution has the potential to meet the needs of more than 9 million small farmers and retailers in the country.
By sponsoring farmers and retailers to acquire Subjee Cooler, we can make a significant impact on their livelihoods. With a contribution of $1000, one can enhance the income of two farmer retailers by 30% to 40% each month. Supporting the Subjee Cooler through microfinance programs can further ease the financial burden on farmers, retailers, and vegetable sellers, allowing them to pay for and purchase this essential appliance over time.
WHEELS is leveraging its alumni ecosystem capacity (leaders in Corp roles & CSR, IAS officers in Central & State Governments, NGO partners, Councils, Chapters, etc) to drive rapid scale to make Subjee Cooler available in all Indian states, and thus welcomes support from all of you. To know more about this WHEELS Initiative, please visit https://wheelsglobal.org/zero-energy-cold-storage-for-rural-farmers/
We urge all of you with an interest in supporting WHEELS' efforts to visit the WHEELS website at www.wheelsglobal.org and explore the 'Get Involved' section, to be part of the WHEELS journey with your time, talent, and treasury.
The author is the Marketing and Communications Manager, WHEELS Global Foundation.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)
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