Mobah Rural Horizons

Mobah Rural Horizons designed a food storage device made up of two earthenware pots which utilize the principles of evaporation to create electricity-free refrigeration.   Energy Products/Services Zeer Pot Cooling System   Target Market Farmers with perishable produce and no means of refrigeration   Headquarters Kano, Nigeria Established 2001 Impact Areas Nigeria Type Non-Profit Energy Sectors Power Source: Other Power Sources Power Use:  Powering Specialized Products and Services; Refrigeration Business Model Types Product Sourcing:Self-Design, Local Manufacture, Uniform Product Distribution:Employee Salespeople Affordability:Low-Cost Product Organization Financing: Sale of Products Scaling:New Locations Social Impact: Scope / Number Reached Staff Size N/A Annual Budget N/A Major Funders N/A Awards 2000: Rolex Awards 2006: Tech Museum of Innovation Award 2007: Santa Clara Global Social Benefit Incubator

 

Value Proposition

• In between the two pots is a layer of fine, wet, river sand, and on top is a moist jute bag.
• When kept in a dry, well-ventilated, and shady location, water evaporates, cooling the inner container.
• As a result, Mobah’s desert refrigerator allows produce to stay fresh for weeks, so less food is wasted, and farmers are able to increase their profits so that they can continue to provide for their communities.
• Mobah sells around 30,000 coolers a year to farmers and other people who want to preserve food for their families and communities

 

Problem Addressed

• For people who live in hot climates with little electricity, food spoils quickly.
• Produce spoils in within three days without refrigeration, forcing farmers to rush their crops to the market and sell them at undervalued prices.
• Refrigeration is a method for storing foods around the world, but many places in Africa do not have the resources to support a stable supply of electricity to make refrigerators a viable option.