Salima District can potentially produce at least 3,500 liters unprocessed milk in a day from its three milk bulking groups (MBG), which are affiliated to Central Region Milk Producers Association (CREMPA). Milk and milk products are essential part of a healthy diet and the availability of these products should be widely supported to improve nutritional imbalances mostly in Malawi where 48 % of the children under 5 are stunted in their development according to a UN report. However, to produce high quality milk and milk products, unprocessed milk need to be stored at 4-5 oC before it is collected for further processing.
Albeit the importance of bulk milk cooling facility to dairy farmers; all MBG in Salima District lack milk cooling facilities partly because of lack of access to grid electricity and partly because of social-economic constraints coupled to unawareness that solar generated electricity can equally power the cooling facility. This makes the farmers to periodically waste their milk as it is highly perishable. As a result, milk for sale is produced in small quantities to avoid wastage. Besides, when more milk is produced than what is demanded, the excess milk is boiled and left to cool naturally in order to narrowly prolong its shelf life. However, the boiling utilizes unsustainably harvested firewood, which is not environmentally friendly. In addition, other farmers add sodium bicarbonate (soda) to the milk as a preservation technique thereby compromising the nutritional value of the milk.

Primarily, this proposition seeks to contribute to improvement of social-economic status of Chipoka EPA in Salima District through a provision of standalone, energy efficient and reliable solar PV system for bulk milk cooling. Specifically, the intervention wants to improve livelihood of dairy farmers; increase awareness and knowledge in low carbon energy access co-benefits; and establish community level partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

Specific objectives
Specifically, the intervention wants to meet the following objectives.
1. Improve livelihood of dairy farmers in Chipoka EPA by year 2020.
2. Increase awareness and knowledge in low carbon energy access co-benefits to at least 100 residents (men, women, youths) of Chipoka EPA by year 2020
3. Establish at least 2 new community level partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

Specific results
When the project is successfully executed, the following results are anticipated.
i. Improved livelihood of Chipoka EPA due to increased milk sales
ii. Community women, men, and youths become aware of and knowledgeable in low carbon energy access co-benefits.
iii. Youths (gender balanced) empowered in installation, management and maintenance of solar PV system in Kilowatt rating
iv. Reduced carbon footprint.
v. Increased number of NGOs that enter into community-level partnership in Chipoka EPA.

Sustainability
The installed solar powered cooling facility is envisaged to be put to productive use where the dairy farmers will use it to store their milk before sale. Therefore, the farmers will be inculcated with the spirit of ownership. The farmers are already willing to contribute cash or in kind towards realization of milk cooling facility. This is an indication of that the farmers can mobilize resources that will help maintenance of the facility and thus sustainability of the project.
It is planned that the farmers will be advised to contribute a monthly certain fixed amount towards funds meant for maintenance of the system. For example, for every stored liter of milk in the fridge, a certain amount, as little as 10 Malawi Kwacha will be deducted as contribution toward system maintenance. By the time the system malfunctions with a major fault, which is likely after at 4-5 years, maintenance funds might have grown to the point of fixing the problem in not time.