Stakeholders Back UK’s Propcom+ Drive to Expand Access to Solar-Powered Vaccines
By News-Port Nigeria
Stakeholders in agric sector have thrown their support behind the UK‑funded Propcom+ programme to expand access to solar‑powered vaccine refrigeration for livestock in off‑grid and remote communities.
Launched in 2023, Propcom+ is an eight‑year initiative supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The programme aims to promote climate‑resilient and sustainable agriculture across Nigeria, increase productivity, enhance resilience to climate change, and foster sustainable rural economies for millions of smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs.
Speaking at an event in Kaduna on Thursday, the Strategy Director of Propcom+, Mr. Olumide Ojo, said the intervention was designed to address persistent failures in the livestock vaccine distribution system, particularly at the last mile.
Ojo said that the pilot, conducted over 6-12 months, assessed weaknesses in the conventional cold chain and tested solar‑powered refrigeration to maintain vaccine potency even in communities with irregular or no electricity supply.
Speaking on “Unlocking Cold Chain Innovation: Lessons from the Solar Refrigerator Pilot for Poultry and Livestock Vaccine Storage and Distribution”, Ojo stressed that the findings were promising, noting that Solar refrigerators provided a reliable power source, reduced operational costs, and enabled agrovet businesses to expand their reach into previously underserved rural areas.
The Director explained that reliance on generators and unstable grid electricity often compromises vaccine potency, resulting in losses for farmers.
Highlighting the financial viability of the intervention, Dr. Babatunde David, who led the commercial assessment, said the solar refrigerator models tested under Propcom+ are technologically sound and suitable for nationwide scale-up. The pilot, which engaged 42 agrovets, recorded short breakeven periods, demonstrating that the model is bankable under both commercial and development‑finance arrangements. He noted that some models had zero off-take cost for participating agrovets, facilitating adoption of the technology.
For veterinary practitioners such as Dr. Khadija Shival, CEO of Bami Veterinary, adopting solar-powered refrigeration is crucial to maintaining vaccine potency. She emphasized that traditional refrigerators dependent on unstable electricity often fail in rural settings, while solar-powered units maintain steady cooling even when sunlight fluctuates, ensuring vaccines remain effective.
Similarly, the Managing Director of Inter Trade Nigeria Limited, Engr. Eghosa Ogedebe, said the solar units experience fewer mechanical failures because they operate on regulated DC power rather than unstable grid electricity.
He explained that aside from occasional cleaning of solar panels and replacement of basic components, the refrigerators require minimal maintenance. Over the long term, total cost of ownership is lower as recurrent costs for fuel, battery replacements, and surge repairs are eliminated.
The solar-powered vaccine initiative underscores the potential of combining climate-smart agriculture with private-sector partnerships and innovative cold-chain solutions. Propcom+’s approach aligns with its objectives of boosting productivity, improving market access, and strengthening resilience for smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
