Novel Farm
A loan of $150,000 helps to fund inventory and a warehouse, enabling ~439 solar coolers to reach 11,000–13,000 farmers and cut milk losses by up to 25%.
Novel Farm's story
Smallholder dairy farmers in rural Uganda often lose a large share of their income because milk spoils before it can reach buyers. Without reliable cooling, farmers can lose up to a quarter of their earnings, limiting their ability to support their families and plan for the future. Solar-powered milk chilling allows farmers to preserve quality, sell more consistently, and earn more stable incomes.
Novel Farm supplies solar-powered cooling systems to cooperatives and farmer groups in off-grid areas, where each unit can serve hundreds of farmers. By financing inventory and a new warehouse, this loan removes delivery bottlenecks and supports the rollout of around 439 systems over the next few years. This expansion is expected to reach 11,000–13,000 farmers, improve livelihoods for tens of thousands of people, and replace diesel-powered cooling with cleaner alternatives. As access expands, more farmers can reliably sell their milk instead of losing it.
In the photo: Pauline, one of Novel Farm’s clients, benefiting from improved milk preservation and more stable earnings.