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Off-Grid Cold Chain Challenge

Modern cold chain technology is crucial to developing local and international agriculture-based markets and improving economic outcomes and food security

Competition Resources

Cold chain technology is a critical component of modern agricultural systems. It has the potential to significantly improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers and small traders by opening up new markets for high-value crops, reduce post-harvest loss and increase farmer profits.

However, this technology is often out of reach in off-grid areas across the Global South due to its cost, a lack of access to reliable electricity and the wide variety of uncoordinated stakeholders in the broader cold chain.

The Global LEAP Off-Grid Cold Chain Challenge is an international competition that identifies and promotes the most energy-efficient, sustainable and cost-effective technologies designed for use by smallholder farmers and producers that can meet cold storage requirements for fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and dairy products.

The 2022 Global LEAP OGCCC was accepting nominations from cold chain suppliers, distributors and companies from June 29 to August 29, 2021.

The 2022 Competition

The 2022 Competition

The current round of the Off-Grid Cold Chain Challenge (OGCCC) identifies the most innovative and promising cold chain solutions designed for use by off-grid smallhold farmers. The focus countries for the competition were Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and India.

Cold chain solutions identified as preliminary finalists will undergo field testing and evaluation by a panel of market experts. Winners and Finalists will be eligible for up to $100,000 in innovation prizes. Explore the factsheet to learn more about the competition process and benefits to Winners and Finalists.

The 2022 Competition is an initiative of the Efficiency for Access Coalition through the support of DOEN Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Foreign & Commonwealth Department Offices (FCDO) and Good Energies Foundation.

2022 Buyer’s Guide for Off-Grid Cold Chain Solutions

Past Competitions

Past Competitions

The 2019 Competition

Launched in 2018, the first round of the OGCCC consisted of two stages:

The first stage evaluated existing products or prototypes from around the world to identify the most promising technology solutions and business models.
The second stage assessed the technical performance of a shortlist of the most promising products identified in stage one via a field-testing process.

Of the 10 preliminary finalists selected to move on to stage two, six were able to set up their cold storage units on location. Of these, only four could put their cold units to productive use. Three out of four were local manufacturers.
An expert panel of four judges selected 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place solutions. The judges’ selections and the corresponding prize amounts awarded to each company are as follows:

1st Place – ColdHubs - £75,000
2nd Place – EcoZen - £50,000
3rd Place – FreshBox - £25,000
Runner Up – Ecolife

The first Global LEAP OGCCC was a joint initiative with Energy 4 Impact, with the support of the Ideas to Impact program, which is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Power Africa’s Beyond the Grid initiative.

Learn More about the OGCCC Finalists and Winners

Efficiency for Access is supported by: