Overview:
With funding from EU STREIT FAO, this initiative aims to transform small-scale coastal and island-based fisheries through cold chain and offshore infrastructure. The project is also seen as a potential model for sustainable fisheries development in other rural provinces in Papua New Guinea.
Key challenge:
Lack of access to affordable cold chain infrastructure and reliable energy source.
Solarator® solution:
We have deployed our 100% solar-powered ice maker in Aitape and Wewak to empower local entrepreneurs in the community, solve the final cold chain hurdle, and champion sustainability in agriculture and aquaculture. Our Solarator® Ice is an eco-friendly, commercial off-grid ice maker that uses either saltwater or freshwater to facilitate rapid pre-cooling of products for preservation and transport. It can produce more than 45 five-kilogram blocks of ice daily that could be sold to local fishers, which they would then use to preserve the freshness of the catch during storage or transport. With a rapidly deployable design, our Solarator® Ice can be stowed away at night or packed up during bad weather within minutes.
Project wins:
- Supports end-to-end cold chain from production to market
- Allows for better transport and storage of catch
- Secures higher market value and bargaining power for local entrepreneurs
- Strengthens food security in remote areas
