Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.
In many agrarian communities across West Africa, post-harvest loss remains a severe economic challenge for smallholder farmers. Fresh produce such as tomatoes, fruits, and leafy vegetables frequently spoils within days due to high ambient temperatures and a lack of reliable electrical grid infrastructure. Traditionally, farmers have resorted to distress sales, offering their perishable harvests at drastically reduced prices to avoid total loss, which severely depresses rural incomes and discourages investment in local agriculture.
Recently, the introduction of community-owned, solar-powered cold storage facilities has begun to address this systemic vulnerability. By utilizing off-grid solar technology, these cold hubs provide affordable refrigeration, enabling farmers to extend the shelf life of their crops from two days to over three weeks. Consequently, smallholders gain the flexibility to store their produce during market gluts and sell when prices stabilize, significantly increasing their household profits. Furthermore, reducing post-harvest spoilage stabilizes regional food supplies and enhances overall food security. While initial capital costs for solar equipment remain relatively high, the overall economic and social benefits demonstrate that decentralized solar refrigeration is essential for sustaining rural livelihoods and reducing agricultural waste in off-grid communities.
Which of the following statements best summarizes the central argument of the passage?
- Decentralized solar refrigeration mitigates post-harvest loss, thereby boosting farmer incomes and improving regional food security.Answer
- BOff-grid solar cold hubs extend the shelf life of fresh agricultural produce from two days to over three weeks.
- CHigh capital costs will ultimately prevent solar refrigeration initiatives from succeeding in West Africa.
- DSmallholder farmers intentionally flood rural markets with cheap produce to lower prices for consumers.