Guarding Fresh, a shelf life extension agri-food business.
In study that was done in 5 selected districts of Central Uganda with a focus on markets and farms to investigate the current mancozeb concentrations on tomatoes by HYPA Consortium, Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory, Kampala, Uganda found that All the samples analyzed had detectable concentrations of mancozeb residue.
Introduction
Mancozeb exposure is known to cause thyroid toxicity and thyroid tumors at high dose. Neurotoxicity and malformations in the offspring have also been observed in animal testing and it is banned in Europe due to its health concerns, including its potential link to cancer.
Guarding Fresh is an agri-food business co-founded by Rootical that’s bringing the heat on the toxic chemical; mancozeb to eradicate it from the Ugandan market. The co-founders; Annet Diana Nannono, Roselyn llemuyat and John Okello aim to replace this toxic agrochemical which is wrongly used on the Ugandan market with their natural shelf life extension.
The Guarding Fresh team, Annet Diana (at the extreme left), Roselyn Ilemuyat and John Okello.
The co-founders are deeply concerned about the huge amounts of chemical residues that can be found on our fruits and vegetables in Uganda. Unlike traditional methods of food preservation that rely on chemicals and artificial solutions, Guarding Fresh harnesses the power of nature to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for longer.
“I’m passionate about safe food and I want both farmers and vulnerable communities in rural areas to benefit, by making a business that’s impactful.” says Annet Diana.
Annet Diana in the lab, showcasing the Guarding Fresh shelf life extension solution.
Creating impact
One of the most significant lessons that the Guarding Fresh team has learnt is the importance of conducting thorough human centered design research and being responsive to feedback. Through deeply understanding the specific needs and challenges within the local market, Guarding Fresh has been able to develop more effective and appropriate solutions that directly address smallholder farmers needs.
“I co-founded Guarding fresh alongside Annet Dianah Nannono and Roselyn llemuyat to create a working solution for challenges like food waste and the toxic chemical mancozeb that’s wrongfully used on the Ugandan market to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables,” John re-affirms
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, Roselyn envisions a future where neem trees are abundant — their leaves are a key ingredient in their natural self life extension solution, farmers and traders embrace natural shelf life extension solutions, and consumers enjoy healthier produce.
“Within the next 6 years, our business will have become a full-grown company with a factory employing Ugandans and serving farmers and traders across the country,” Roselyn concludes.
