Perishable agricultural produce tends to spoil quickly. This means that once harvested, farmers must rush it to the market, often being forced to sell it at what are called ‘distressed’ prices. The result is that agriculturalists lack food security, have unpredictable incomes, and lose much of their produce before it can even reach consumers.

These problems could be solved with refrigeration. Unfortunately, however, cold storage systems are not easily accessible to farmers: on the one hand, they tend to be expensive, and on the other, mainstream refrigerators require access to grid electricity, which is unreliable in rural areas. While the electricity limitation affects all farmers to some extent, the low affordability is especially challenging to small farmers.

Is it possible to have a refrigeration system that is both affordable to set up and maintain as well as self-reliant in terms of power supply? According to Akash and Anurag Agarwal, founders of New Leaf Dynamic Technologies, the answer to this question is yes. Founded in 2012 in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, their company has found an alternative source of energy for refrigeration: agricultural biomass. 

What is new about their innovation?

New Leaf’s flagship product is GreenCHILL, a cold storage unit that is both affordable and easy to maintain.

Unlike most refrigerators, a GreenCHILL unit draws energy not from an electrical connection but through combustion. During operation, it takes in agricultural biomass—husk and other residues from cultivation—and burns it, generating thermal energy. This thermal energy then powers the cooling component of the unit.

Maintaining this system is made easier by its IoT-enabled sensors. These sensors keep an eye on the system’s temperature, humidity, energy performance, and equipment health, collecting data so that operators can know when it needs repair.

In addition to providing standard cooling for storing farm produce, GreenCHILL’s interior can also be used as a ripening chamber or dryer. This multi-purpose design makes it most suitable for farmers and other small agricultural entrepreneurs.

Who are the partners?

This technology was developed in partnership with IIT Patna and the Georgia Institute of Technology. To help make it more accessible for small customers, New Leaf has partnered with banks, governments, and development organizations to provide payment plans based on loans and subsidies. 

What benefits does this technology offer?

In general, once they complete the harvesting process, farmers burn most of the agricultural residue, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. New Leaf offers them an alternative option wherein they not only avoid polluting the atmosphere but also personally benefit from this decision, gaining a valuable means of storing their produce. This reflects the principles of a circular economy.

By using GreenCHILL units to store perishable agricultural produce, farmers can extend the shelf lives of this produce by between 5 and 30 days. Consequently, their post-harvest losses drop by 60% and, free of distressed prices, they can sell their produce for higher rates. According to New Leaf, they gain 15–30% higher incomes as a result. Most importantly, the refrigeration costs of a GreenCHILL unit are 60% lower than those of diesel-powered options.

Currently, over 50,000 farmers use GreenCHILL devices. These customers are spread out across various states, from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat—regions growing a wide variety of crops. 

In recognition of its impact, New Leaf has received a number of awards from prominent developmental organizations. These include PFAN from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, GIZ’s Innovation Challenge Award of 2020, and the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE)’s 2022 award.

What New Leaf now requires

The main factor that would increase the use of GreenCHILL devices would be financial support because, despite the lower costs on offer, refrigeration technology is still expensive for small farmers. Further aid from New Leaf’s partners in the form of concessional finance and blended capital would further drive down costs, allowing more farmers to procure these units.

Beyond this, at a policy level, State governments could support New Leaf by incorporating its work under renewable energy and sustainable agriculture programs. They could also invest directly to procure cold storage infrastructure as part of larger rural development initiatives. Finally, they could provide standardized guidelines for capacity building and operator training in the field of sustainable refrigeration. These steps could boost social security for millions of Indian farmers, allowing them to reap more of the benefits of India’s development.