Feb 20th: Ayekart RISE Foundation (ARISE) and cKinetics have entered into a strategic partnership under the Scaling Up of Green Agri-focused Micro Cold Storage Solutions (SUGAM-CSS) programme to strengthen the scalability and long-term viability of green micro cold storage solutions in Maharashtra.
The partnership was announced yesterday at the India State Climate Investment Forum (ISCIF) 2026 by Debarshi Dutta, Director, Ayekart RISE Foundation and Chief Executive Officer – Ayekart during a roundtable discussion on Blended Finance Structures to Strengthen Community Livelihood and Health Outcomes through Distributed Renewable Energy.
Highlighting the initiative, Ayekart CEO shared about how SUGAM-CSS focuses on strengthening clean, distributed cooling infrastructure at the first mile of the fruits and vegetables value chain; and helps reduce post-harvest losses and enhance farmer incomes through an integrated solution kit covering infrastructure deployment support, financing innovation leading to enhancing financial access for start-up and relatively young FPOs and most critically market access.
Under the partnership, Ayekart RISE Foundation will serve as the market-linkage partner for SUGAM-CSS-enabled micro cold storage installations in Maharashtra. Leveraging Ayekart’s buyer network, ARISE will connect farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and rural entrepreneurs operating micro cold storage units to organised buyers, including aggregators, processors, organised retail, quick commerce platforms, and exporters, with the objective of improving asset utilisation, strengthening price realisation, and enabling predictable demand.
In addition to its role in Maharashtra, Ayekart RISE Foundation will also support the implementation of green micro cold storage solutions under SUGAM-CSS in Uttar Pradesh, extending the partnership’s impact across multiple horticulture regions.
Commenting on the partnership, Debarshi Dutta said, “Through our partnership with cKinetics, we are building a scalable model that reduces post-harvest losses and connects farmers to organised markets. By strengthening utilisation and sustainable revenue streams for green micro cold storage, we are ensuring these facilities deliver better incomes and sustainable livelihoods for farmers across Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.”
Speaking on the occasion, Upendra Bhatt, Managing Director, cKinetics, said, “Reliable market access is central to ensuring that renewable-powered micro cold storage solutions remain viable over the long term. This partnership strengthens utilisation and revenue potential, supporting scalable deployment across horticulture clusters.”
The collaboration underscores the need to combine distributed renewable energy interventions with reliable market access to enable scalable and sustainable solutions. By improving utilisation and revenue stability, the partnership supports long-term climate and livelihood outcomes at scale.