S4S Technologies - Increasing Smallholder Farmer Incomes and Empowering Women with Solar Energy

The business model of S4S integrates women into the agri-supply chain and converts food losses into processed food. This helps farmers to reduce food loss and save on logistics costs and intermediaries brokerage. S4S has also created women micro-entrepreneurs in the value chain, who procure agri-produce from smallholder farmers and convert it into value-added processed food using the Solar Conduction Dryer (SCD). The Solar Conduction Dryer (SCD) is an electricity-free, chemical-free, solar-powered food dehydrator that reduces moisture content in agro-produce so that farmers and rural women can preserve their produce for up to one year. S4S then sells this processed food to fast-moving consumer good companies and the food service industry (restaurants and caterers) to earn its revenue. The supply chain is driven by 100% rural women entrepreneurs with solar-powered food processing setups.