Ice in a Box

Solar ice and water for coastal communities, starting in San Evaristo, a fishing village on the Sea of Cortez.

The need

San Evaristo is a small fishing village about 130 km from La Paz. Fishermen need ice to keep their catch fresh, but ice has to be trucked in from La Paz. When there is not enough ice, fish lose quality and value, and families lose income. The village also lacks a reliable supply of safe drinking water.

The project

Ice in a Box is a solar powered, containerized unit that makes two things a fishing village needs most. Trained local fishermen will own and run it, ice sales will pay for its upkeep, and it is designed to be copied by other coastal villages.

• Flake ice for the fishing boats, about one tonne a day.
• Drinking water desalinated from seawater, about 216,000 liters a year, with free water for about 200 children.

Results

• In the planning stage; the figures above are targets.
• COMEPESCA completed the Rotary Global Grant community assessment in July 2026, and the team is reviewing build costs with local partners.
• Mexico's federal fisheries authorities have shown interest.