Project Outcomes
The interventions had a dramatic and immediate
impact. Post-harvest losses dropped sharply,
allowing farmers to sell more of their produce. The
price for tomatoes rose from MK600/kg to
MK1000/kg, boosting household incomes by 30% for
participating women and youths. Youths received
training as Agripreneurs and Trainers of Trainers
(ToTs) in building cooling chambers and fabricating
solar dryers, creating new job opportunities and
expanding the technology's reach.
Farmer Agness Mzumara shared that instead of
discarding spoiled tomatoes, she could sell them at
a good price, store them in cooling chambers, or dry
them for future use or income. The project showed
that simple, low-cost technologies, paired with
training and market access, significantly and
sustainably improved farmers' livelihoods.
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