Coldtivate
Agritech / Enterprise / B2B / SaaS
https://app.coldtivate.org/auth/login
The Problem
Smallholder farmers in developing countries face significant challenges due to post-harvest losses, which can amount to 40% of produce. They are often forced to distress sell or rely on intermediaries due to the lack of adequate cold storage solutions.
The major barriers include:
Low adoption rates of cooling solutions due to lack of financing options and trust deficit
Significant greenhouse gas emissions from crop spoilage.
Limited access to financing options, with only 2% of smallholder farmers having such access.
Coldtivate offers an innovative solution tailored to the agricultural sector. It is a free-to-use, data-science-based application available on Android, iOS, and web platforms. The application supports:
1. Digital inventory management.
2. Real-time prediction of crops' remaining storage life.
3. Remote monitoring of temperature, utilization, and finances.
4. Market-price forecasting.
Features
Digital Inventory Management: Allows cooling companies and farmers to efficiently manage their produce.
Real-Time Storage Life Prediction: Uses physics-based digital twins to predict the remaining post-harvest life of produce.
Remote Monitoring: Provides real-time data on temperature, utilization, and financial metrics.
Market Price Forecasting: Helps farmers make informed decisions based on market trends.
Time-to-Pick-Up Notifications: Alerts users when produce needs to be sold to avoid spoilage.
Exportable Dashboards: Provides insights into utilization patterns, creditworthiness, and gender-disaggregated data.
Demography
Coldtivate targets smallholder farmers, petty traders, and cooling companies in developing countries such as Nigeria, India, the Philippines, and Guinea-Bissau.
The app is designed to assist: Registered employees of cooling companies. Operators responsible for day-to-day operations at cold rooms. Smallholder farmers and petty traders interested in using cold storage.
Engineering
Frontend
The frontend development was led using IonicJS (Angular variant). The initial phase involved identifying and resolving existing issues, followed by the creation of new components and pages to enhance business growth and improvement.
Backend
The backend was developed using a microservices architecture. Key technologies included:
Python and Django: For the main application logic and API development.
Docker: For containerizing services to ensure consistency across different environments.
PostgreSQL: For reliable and efficient data storage.
Coldtivate addresses critical issues faced by smallholder farmers by providing a comprehensive digital solution for managing cold storage. The application’s robust features and innovative approach not only help in reducing post-harvest losses but also empower farmers with valuable insights, leading to increased revenue and sustainability.
Through the collaboration of BASE and Empa, and the support of local cooling companies, Coldtivate is poised to make a significant impact in the agricultural sector of developing countries.
