Demonstrating its commitment to sustainable rural development, climate resilience, and women-led entrepreneurship, ArMee Infotech Limited has supported the establishment of two community-owned solar cold storage facilities in Gujarat. The initiative has been undertaken under the Soil to Sustainability – AapdiMaati, Aapdu Bhavishya programme, implemented by WAY Everything Connects Foundation (WAY Foundation) in collaboration with the Centre for Environment and Social Concerns (CESC) and FarmfluenceAgriTech.
The two facilities, each with a storage capacity of 5 Metric Tonnes (MT), were inaugurated this week in Bhavnagar and Rajula. Designed to address post-harvest losses and improve market access for smallholder farmers, the solar-powered cold storage units are expected to enhance value realisation for agricultural produce while promoting community-owned rural enterprises.
Beyond infrastructure creation, the initiative seeks to establish sustainable business models managed and operated by women-led producer companies. By integrating renewable energy with community ownership, the project aims to strengthen local agricultural value chains, improve income opportunities, and foster long-term economic resilience in rural communities.
Following a state-wide application and assessment process conducted by WAY Foundation, two women-led producer collectives were selected to receive the community-owned facilities.
The facility at Utthan Mahila Producer Company Limited, Bhavnagar, was inaugurated on June 2, while the facility at Utkantha Mahila Producer Company Limited, Rajula, supported by Friends of Women’s World Banking (FWWB), was inaugurated on June 3.
Women farmers, representatives of producer companies, development partners, local stakeholders, and community leaders participated in the inauguration ceremonies.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ridhish Patel, Chairman & Managing Director, ArMee Infotech Limited, said: “Sustainable development creates the greatest impact when communities become owners rather than beneficiaries. These solar cold storage facilities are not merely storage infrastructure; they are intended to become women-led rural enterprises capable of generating income, creating local employment, reducing agricultural wastage, and strengthening rural economies. Our vision is to create a replicable model where renewable energy, entrepreneurship, and community ownership come together to drive long-term prosperity and self-reliance.”
To further strengthen the operational and financial sustainability of the initiative, the partner organisations have jointly announced a Business Model Development Workshop in Ahmedabad for the participating producer companies.
The workshop will focus on enterprise management, governance practices, market linkage development, revenue generation strategies, operational planning, and long-term sustainability frameworks.
Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Wricha Johari, Co-Founder, WAY Foundation, said: “The long-term success of community-owned agricultural infrastructure depends not only on technology adoption but also on building strong and sustainable local enterprises. Through this initiative, we aim to equip women-led producer companies with the knowledge, systems, and business capabilities required to operate successful enterprises that are aligned with local agricultural practices, market opportunities, and community needs.”
The initiative reflects a collaborative effort to promote climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy adoption, women entrepreneurship, and resilient rural livelihoods. It also demonstrates how partnerships between corporates, development organisations, and community institutions can create scalable and sustainable models for rural transformation.