Akoliam Smart Dryer — Overview

What is the Akoliam smart dryer?

The Akoliam smart dryer is a solar-powered fish drying unit built for Tanzania's coastal and lakeside fishing communities. It replaces open-air drying and firewood boiling with a closed, hygienic cabinet that dries anchovies and similar small fish using controlled heat and airflow.

Built-in sensors track temperature and humidity inside the chamber. Owners can follow the drying process in real time through the Akoliam owner portal — from a phone or computer, wherever they are.

Who is it for?

• Small-scale fish processors and traders at landing sites
• Women and youth who handle much of the drying work along the coast
• Cooperatives and processing groups looking for consistent, hygienic drying
• Communities in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mafia, and other fishing regions affected by weather-dependent drying

The problem it solves

Traditional drying depends on sun, wind, and guesswork. Fish laid on nets or canvas are exposed to rain, dust, birds, and long drying times — especially in the rainy season. Processors often lose product before it reaches market, and firewood boiling adds cost, smoke, and pressure on local forests.

Akoliam was built to reduce that waste: protect more of the catch, improve product quality, and give processors confidence that drying is under control — not left to the weather.

How it works (in brief)

• Fish are loaded into a secure, enclosed drying cabinet
• Solar energy powers controlled drying with backup for year-round use
• Sensors monitor conditions inside the chamber throughout the cycle
• Processors check live readings and drying progress on the owner portal
• Product is unloaded when conditions show the batch is ready

Benefits for fish processors

• Less post-harvest loss from spoilage, rain, and contamination
• More consistent colour, hygiene, and quality for buyers
• Reduced reliance on firewood and open-ground drying
• Ability to plan around market timing — morning and afternoon landings
• Safer, less labour-intensive work for women and youth processors
• Remote visibility — see what is happening inside without standing over the fish all day

Get started

Akoliam dryers are available through direct purchase or flexible arrangements for cooperatives and pilot partners. For pre-orders, product advice, or partnership enquiries, contact Akoliam Limited via the Resources page.