The document discusses developing cold chain infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Near East and North Africa regions. It notes that food loss and waste are high in these regions due to a lack of sufficient cold storage and transportation infrastructure. The current state of cold chains is described as nascent or non-existent, with very low per capita cold storage capacity compared to developed countries. Constraints to developing cold chains include a lack of electricity access, skills and clear policies. However, opportunities exist due to growing populations, economies and food production. The document recommends governments commit to supporting cold chain development through clear strategies, capacity building, and public-private partnerships.

1. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Djibril Dramé
Agro-industry Officer, FAO/AGS, Rome
Developing the cold chain in the food
sector in the Sub-Saharan Africa and the
Near East and North Africa

2. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Outline
1. Context & Background
2. State of the cold chain in SSA and NENA
3. Constraints and opportunities
4. Policy implications
5. Recommendations

3. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Context
• Food loss and waste (FLW)
reduction= effective policy
option towards global food
security
• Huge food losses are
happening along the food supply
chains in SSA and NENA
regions:
up to 40-50% for perishable
products
6-11 kg/person/year ; USD 4
billion in SSA
250kg/person/year and over
USD 60 billion in NENA

4. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
• Reducing FLW should be a crucial part
of strategies to meet the food and
nutritional requirements
• Strong governments’ commitment to
reduce FLW by 50% by 2025 in SSA
and NENA
• There is a need to address one of the
major causes of losses in perishable
products :
 the lack of sufficient and efficient cold
chain infrastructure, in the regions

5. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
 Very high population growth :
2-2.3 % annual population growth rates
vs 1.2%;
population 1.5- 2 billion in SSA by 2050
 Very high food demand in the regions
• Developing the cold chain: an
imperative in achieving food and
nutrition security in SSA and
NENA

6. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Background
2011 -2012:
•FAO-RNE organized an Expert Consultation Meeting on the Status
of the Cold Chain in the Food Sector in the Near East Region &
Training of Trainers on cold chain issues
2012 :
• Appraisals studies in SSA & Tunisia
•FAO and IIR co-organized a regional workshop on cold chain
development in SSA
2014:
•FAO and IIR jointly published a policy brief on the cold chain
development in SSA
•FAO-RNE published a similar policy brief for NENA
.

7. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
State of the cold chain in SSA and NENA
The current status of cold chain in
SSA and NENA:
•Reliable and sufficient cold chains
inexistent or in a nascent stage
•The cold storage capacity per capita
is low in most of the countries
•Greater utilization of the cold chain
for the export vs domestic market
Region/Country Capacity
(litres/capit
a in urban
areas)
Year of
estimate
Sub-
Saharan
Africa
Ethiopia 2 2012
Tanzania 2 2012
Namibia 5.1 2012
Near East
and
North
Africa
Algeria 66 2011
Morocco 53 2011
Saudi
Arabia
88 2006
Germany 262 2010
USA 344 2010

8. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Constraints
• Predominance of smallholders
using traditional marketing system
• Lack of appropriate infrastructure
such as roads and market facilities
• Limited access to electricity (cost
and availability)
• Low level of technical skills and
technology transfer

9. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
• Market perceived as
economically insufficient to
equipment suppliers
• Lack of clear national policy
towards cold chain development
• Poor organisation and
implementation of standard-
compliance monitoring
Constraints

10. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
 Many opportunities & big demand in the
cold chain infrastructure in these regions
justified by:
• economic and demographic growths
(GDP: +4.5% in 2015 in SSA)
• growing middle class
• increasing urbanization and change in
consumers’ food habits
Opportunities

11. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
• Increasing production of perishable foodstuffs:
+ 3.7 to 5.2% per year
Regional production in 2010 = 158 million in NENA and 373 in SSA
 Significant opportunities to achieve more rapidly the
"critical mass" needed for the cold chain market
development.
Opportunities

12. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Policy implications
 A real commitment to supporting cold chain development is
needed, both from governments and the private sector.
Some key strategic aspects
1) A better integration of the cold chain development in agricultural and food-
security development strategies
2) Elaborating and coordinating multi-sectorial and multi-stakeholders strategies
guided by a master plan
3) Adapting intervention strategies to products specifics and to geographic and
socio-economic conditions including regional or bilateral dialogue among the
region’s countries and between SSA and NENA.
4) Engaging in serious preliminary studies prior to any refrigeration investment
project

13. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Potential interventions towards the cold Chain development
•Operational legal and regulatory framework conducive to investment in cold
chain
•Strengthening of human and technical capacities
•Supporting creation and / or development of professional organizations in the
agro-food sectors concerned
•Fostering public-private partnership to increase investment in the targeted
sectors
•Adopt a regional or sub-regional vision in order to foster market integration
•Support R&D in the refrigeration sector responding to the specific needs and
assets of SSA and NENA with respect to food safety and environment
Recommendations

14. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Conclusion
• A greater attention should be given to the cold chain development and
sustainability, in national and regional strategies to improve food and
nutrition security
• Support policies and programs towards the cold chain development
are needed
• Specific attention should be accorded to:
i) governance,
ii) basic infrastructure,
iii) technology transfer and RD,
iv) training and professionalization of the agri-food sector,
v) enhancement of professional organizations and interprofessional
dialogue.

15. Latest Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - XVI European Conference Milano, 12th - 13th June 2015
Thank you