The hustle and bustle that defines Kithimani Market along Nairobi-Thika-Garissa as vendors hawk fresh fruits and vegetables to motorists wanes gradually as the day wears out. The vendors are not worried their unsold stocks may go bad. This concern, which has defined trade in the region for years, eased six months ago when a farmer installed a solar-powered cold room.
The Sh3.5 million facility at Joseph Muuo's homestead, just behind the market holds up to eight tonnes of fresh produce at a time. The farmer is among dozens who grow bananas, tomatoes, squash, okra and assorted vegetables along Yatta Canal, a 60 kilometre furrow that was constructed by the colonial administration through the arid region.
