Recast also stated that the research program will be carried out in 4 districts including Tehrathum, Sindhuli, Syangja, and Dadeldhura, and 1 new model moisture storage facility will be constructed and data will be collected and carried forward.
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The Research Center for Applied Science and Technology (RICAST) under Tribhuvan University has conducted an inception workshop for a research project on innovative cold storage solutions for sustainable storage and marketing of orange fruits.
This project has been funded by the Innovative Research Grant (IRG) under the National Priority Area Research (NPAR) of Tribhuvan University.
Orange farmers in Nepal are currently losing 30 to 40 percent of their production due to lack of proper storage infrastructure, which has directly affected their income and food security. This multidisciplinary project aims to design, test and validate low-cost, energy-efficient local cold storage solutions that are compatible with the rural geography and energy situation of Nepal.
Principal Investigator Dipendra Parajuli presented the three-phase roadmap of the project. He presented on the study of the physiological behavior of citrus at different temperatures, prototype construction of a novel cold storage unit using local materials and renewable energy, and development of a market-connecting protocol.
Recast Executive Director Professor Meena Rajbhandari said that this research is not limited to the laboratory but focuses on practical solutions. She said, "Our goal is to develop a scalable and farmer-friendly cold storage model, which will reduce waste and increase market access and bargaining power of the farmers of Syangja and other districts."
Syangja-1 MP Dhananjay Regmi pointed out the urgent need for agricultural infrastructure at the regional level.
The research team will now begin a baseline survey in the selected orange-producing districts. The goal is to prepare the prototype by the end of 2026. The research program will be carried out in four districts, including Tehrathum, Sindhuli, Syangja, and Dadeldhura, and one new model moisture storage facility will be constructed and data will be collected, Recast said.
