Karpolax

Karpolax

Karpolax

Karpolax extends the shelf life of fresh produce using green nanotechnology to reduce post-harvest losses and boost farmer incomes.

Kampala, Uganda

UGA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Karpolax is solving the problem of post-harvest losses, particularly for fruits and vegetables, which significantly affect food security, farmer incomes, and climate resilience. In sub-Saharan Africa, up to 45% of fruits and vegetables perish before reaching consumers due to inadequate storage, preservation, and market access. This results in billions of dollars in lost income for smallholder farmers and limits food availability for rapidly growing urban populations. Globally, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted annually, contributing to 8–10% of greenhouse gas emissions. In Uganda alone, over 2.8 million metric tons of food are lost annually post-harvest. These losses are primarily driven by lack of cold chain infrastructure, poor market linkages, and short produce shelf life. Karpolax addresses these challenges by using eco-friendly nanotechnology-based sachets that release natural volatile organic compounds to slow down ripening and microbial growth. This simple, low-cost solution extends shelf life by up to 30 days without refrigeration, reducing waste, increasing farmer profits, and improving food availability. Our approach supports smallholder farmers who make up over 70% of Uganda’s agricultural workforce and can be scaled across similar low resource settings globally.

Karpolax offers an innovative, non-toxic shelf-life extension solution for fruits and vegetables using green nanotechnology. Our flagship product is a small paper sachet infused with natural volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as eugenol, thymol, and hexanal. These VOCs are slowly released into the storage environment, forming an invisible protective atmosphere around fresh produce. The sachets are placed inside fruit crates, boxes, or storage rooms. As the VOCs evaporate, they inhibit ethylene production (which triggers ripening) and prevent microbial growth, effectively slowing down spoilage and extending shelf life by up to 14 days—without the need for refrigeration. The solution is safe, biodegradable, cost-effective, and ideal for smallholder farmers, vendors, and exporters in low-resource settings. Link: https://youtu.be/ki3zTo0yQS4?si=Vkti6_Pleky-V-oo

Karpolax directly serves smallholder farmers, informal produce vendors, and fresh produce exporters—especially in underserved rural and peri-urban communities across Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa. These groups are disproportionately affected by post-harvest losses due to limited access to cold storage, preservation technologies, and stable market linkages. Smallholder farmers, who make up over 70% of Uganda’s agricultural workforce, often lose 30–45% of their harvest before it reaches the market. This results in reduced income, food insecurity, and limited ability to reinvest in their farms. Women and youth, who make up a significant portion of this farming population, are especially vulnerable. Karpolax’s affordable, easy-to-use shelf-life extension sachets empower farmers and vendors to preserve their produce longer without refrigeration, giving them more time to access better markets, negotiate fairer prices, and reduce financial losses. For exporters, the solution enhances quality assurance, enabling better access to regional and international markets. By reducing spoilage, increasing incomes, and strengthening food supply chains, our solution enhances livelihoods, promotes resilience to climate shocks, and contributes to a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural economy.