As Africa's agricultural sector continues to expand, post-harvest losses remain a significant challenge for farmers and food producers. Dryers for Africa, a South African, 100% female-owned company, is tackling food waste and adding value to agricultural products with customized agro-processing solutions that support sustainability, skills development, and gender equality.
"Unlike off-the-shelf drying systems, each unit is custom-designed based on location, purpose, and available energy resources. Dryers for Africa works closely with producers to assess climate conditions, product types, and operational needs, ensuring an optimized drying process for maximum efficiency and quality preservation," the company states.
The company offers a range of energy conversion options, including solar, which harnesses Africa's abundant sunshine for cost-effective drying, biomass, utilizing agricultural waste as a renewable energy source, electricity, which provides precision drying for sensitive products and finally hybrid systems, combining multiple energy sources for year-round operation.
With advanced software integration, users can create product-specific drying programs and remotely monitor and control their systems, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and ease of operation.
Dryers for Africa goes beyond standalone drying units by offering modular processing factories, enabling producers to establish fully functional agro-processing hubs. These scalable, plug-and-play solutions allow businesses to integrate washing, slicing, drying, packaging, and other value-addition processes under one roof, reducing reliance on external facilities and enhancing local economic development.
"Dryers for Africa is committed to bridging the skills gap in agro-processing by providing training and technical support to local farmers, entrepreneurs, and cooperatives. We actively promote gender equality, empowering women in agribusiness through access to technology and skills development.
By aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dryers for Africa contributes to:
SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), reducing post-harvest losses and increasing food security. SDG 5 (Gender Equality), encourages women's participation in agriculture and agro-processing. SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), creating sustainable jobs and business opportunities, and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), promoting efficient food processing and waste reduction.
Dryers for Africa's technology can dry almost any organic material, including but not limited to fruits and vegetables like mango, pineapple, tomatoes, bananas, and more, as well as spices and herbs, such as chili, ginger, moringa, and medicinal plants.
"Dryers for Africa is playing an active role in helping small-scale farmers, cooperatives, and large-scale producers transition from raw material suppliers to value-added exporters. With highly adaptable technology and a commitment to sustainability, the company ensures that African and global producers can preserve their harvests, increase profits, and access international markets."
For more information:
Dryers for Africa
cath@dryersforafrica.co.za
www.dryersforafrica.co.za