By Jean Baptiste Ndabananiye
The substantial percentage of harvested produce in Sub-Saharan Africa is lost before it reaches consumers, posing serious threats to food security, farmers’ livelihoods, and the regional economy. Rwanda in Africa is emerging as a trailblazer in sustainable refrigeration possessing the ability to address the produce loss crisis, through Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES). The latter one combines cutting-edge refrigeration technology with rigorous environmental standards. By setting new benchmarks in sustainable cold chain solutions, Rwanda is not only advancing a sector apt to preserve food, among others, but also safeguard the atmosphere, demonstrating leadership in environmental innovation across the continent.
In this respect, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA)—Rwanda’s agency responsible for ensuring that environmental issues and climate change are integrated into national development, specifically by mainstreaming environmental concerns across all sectors to enhance performance and productivity—has placed strong emphasis on reducing air pollution and safeguarding the ozone layer. These commitments align with global observances such as the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies and the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Against this backdrop, from 10 to 12 September 2025, REMA organized a media tour showcasing innovative national achievements, including those led by ACES which has imported to Rwanda a world-first machine of its kind.
ACES in Rwanda: sustainable refrigeration solutions
As a leading institution at the forefront of sustainable cooling technologies, ACES underscores the urgent need to address post-harvest losses across Sub-Saharan Africa, noting that these technologies hold the key to tackling the losses. ACES points out “Sub-Saharan Africa faces up to 50% loss post-harvest, this has both nutritional and economic consequences. The CSC recognises the need to reduce food loss and the increasing demand for cooling and cold-chain.”
The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, in its 31 October 2024 article headlined “Cooling food insecurity in Africa with Sokofresh’s solar-powered cold storage solutions” underscores the above issue, though its statistic differs from that provided by ACES. However, the two statistics converge in highlighting the magnitude of post-harvest losses and their devastating effects on farmers’ livelihoods, food security, and the wider economy. “In Sub-Saharan Africa, post-harvest loss represents one of the most pressing challenges for smallholder farmers.
Every year, up to 40% of produce is lost due to poor storage conditions, lack of access to reliable refrigeration, and an underdeveloped cold chain infrastructure. This leads to billions of dollars in wasted food, lost income for farmers, and a serious threat to food security across the continent. In a region where agriculture accounts for one-third of GDP and employs over 60% of the population, these losses have profound economic and social impacts.”
World Vision, with its 5 May 2025 story titled “Africa hunger crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help”points out “While food security has improved in some parts of the world, the hunger crisis in Africa is deepening, putting millions of lives at risk. Driven by conflict, extreme weather, and economic instability, this crisis is having especially devastating impacts on women and children who are bearing the brunt of malnutrition and displacement.
1 in 5 people in Africa faced hunger in 2023 — a striking contrast to the global figure of 1 in 11 — according to the most recent available data. By 2030, a projected 582 million people will be chronically undernourished, more than half of them in Africa.”
So, addressing the losses signifies more than just preserving food—it represents a crucial step toward strengthening farmers’ livelihoods, food security, ensuring nutritional security, and stabilizing local and regional economies. By eliminating post-harvest losses, these technologies could ensure that even populations displaced by conflict enjoy access to the food produced across Africa, directly addressing the hunger crisis highlighted by World Vision.
Eliminating or significantly reducing the losses requires innovative solutions, reliable cold chain infrastructure, and adherence to environmental standards to reduce waste while protecting the planet. Initiatives like those being implemented by ACES exemplify how technology, training, and policy can converge to handle post-harvest losses and transform food systems across Sub-Saharan Africa. ACES is not only committed to expanding access to cold storage solutions but also assuring that equipment used fulfills strict environmental and efficiency standards. ACES is playing a critical role, combining innovation and regulation to safeguard both food security and the environment.
REMA has therefore selected this Centre of Excellence as one of pioneering institutions to be showcased to environmental journalists in Rwanda. The media tour offered journalists first-hand insight into ACES’ groundbreaking contributions in the refrigeration sector, highlighting how it is setting new benchmarks for sustainable cooling technologies and reinforcing Rwanda’s leadership in environmental innovation.
Basile Seburikoko is ACES Rwanda Technical Director. He told the journalists “This is the environmental test chamber which will measure the standards of cooling equipment imported to Rwanda;which we call energy efficiency, among other standards. We know that chilling tools like refrigerators imported into the country must meet certain requirements to ensure they are not harmful. Cooling equipment can pollute the environment through refrigerant gases, but it can also cause harm even when no gas leaks occur — a phenomenon known as Scope II emissions. Scope II emissions arise when cooling equipment consumes more electricity than necessary; which in turn can lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.”
This machine is the world-first testing chamber that uses advanced hydrocarbon refrigerants, ensuring top environmental performance with no damage to the ozone layer. This signifies that the machine represents the most modern equipment of its kind in Africa, enabling Rwanda to test refrigeration systems to the highest international standards.
The ACES International Technical Director of, Craigh Girdleston, explained “One of the partnerships we’ve been doing with companies, for example, this one is from RIVACOLD in Italy. They produced this piece of equipment which is here, it now uses one of the latest refrigerant—hydrocarbons—that has no effect on the ozone, environmentally it’s very fine. It [the machine] is the first in the world, even before Europe got it, this was brought to Rwanda. We actually achieved the very first unit. It came on a ship, the ship arrived on Friday last week, that’s why the construction is being carried on.
When we want to test international standards, when we build the cold room, it has to be built to the highest standards, that testing chamber is the first of its kind in Central Africa, there is nothing like it, it is the first one unit in Africa, there is only one unit in Africa and that is currently in South Africa. It is over twenty years old. So, we will have the most modern equipment in Rwanda for Africa for testing, because what we want to be able to test the standards of any equipment coming into Rwanda.”
Highlighting Rwanda’s pioneering role in advancing environmental safety, Girdleston explains why the world-class machine was first introduced to the country under breakthrough collaboration. “The machine was brought to Rwanda for the first time in the world, because at the time we did the original design, at the time the standards were changing in Europe, and we were the first, because we placed the order early, the design was done through the ACES team in partnership with UNEP and the UK government, and with partnership with the government of Rwanda and REMA as well.
We did the design as collaborative, and at the time we wanted the highest specifications for equipment we could get and at the time Italy was the country that was producing it to the standards we wanted, since we wanted the highest standards. The value of the machine is over a million pounds.” The machine is worth more than a million pounds.
ACES’ mission is to develop and accelerate uptake of sustainable cold chain solutions in the agriculture and health sectors throughout Africa. ACES constitutes the pivot of research, data collection, training for refrigeration technicians from various institutions, policy support and technology development to accomplish the global and governmental objectives. It is based at the University of Rwanda’s Rubirizi Campus.
Refrigeration: a lifeline for health, agriculture, and trade
From farms to pharmacies and other businesses, the critical role of refrigeration stands unquestionable. Seburikoko furnishes clarifications. “Refrigeration is an essential field with wide-ranging applications. It fulfills a crucial role in preserving agricultural produce, preventing losses due to spoilage, supporting medical treatment, and facilitating the import and export of perishable goods like fish. In short, the value of refrigeration is immense—so much so that its full importance is difficult to capture in words.
In the medical sector, refrigeration is essential—for example, vaccines cannot be managed without proper cooling. To remain effective, vaccines must be kept at specific temperatures, with modern vaccines like those for COVID-19 requiring extremely low levels, such as -7°C to -17°C. As technology advances, the need for refrigeration grows. Since we began operating in Rwanda, we have trained refrigeration technicians from various institutions and raised public awareness about these advanced cooling technologies. Those are some of key achievements realized since our presence in the country.” ACES has been working in Rwanda for five years.
Garden Fresh: quality through sustainable refrigeration
REMA has also chosen Garden Fresh as one of exemplary institutions to be featured during its media tour, highlighting innovative practices in the refrigeration sector as far as environment safety is concerned. The visit has armed the journalists with first-hand insight into how the company combines sustainable technology with high-quality produce handling.
Bosco Karuhanga serves as the Pack House Manager at Garden Fresh. He said “We possess three refrigerators, each with the capacity to chill 25 tons of produce. Once the produce is harvested and brought here, it is first recorded and then stored in these refrigerators. These units store produce transported from the fields and plantations. All the produce arriving last night (9th September 2025) was chilled to the temperature we desired. In the morning, our team began sorting the best-quality produce for export. We cool the produce, because of a long trip from the fields and plantations to this cold chamber, with the intention to preserve its freshness. These cooling chambers are versatile, capable of maintaining produce at the required temperature for both short-term and long-term storage.”
At Garden Fresh, maintaining the freshness and quality of produce forms a meticulous process that extends from the cold chambers to the moment it reaches customers. Every step, from sorting and grading to refrigerated transport and storage at the airport, ensures that exported goods meet exacting standards. Karuhanga explains “Once the produce reaches the desired cooling temperature, we hand it over to the workers who sort, grade, and pack it according to our customers’ specifications. Picked, the best produce is chilled again before being transported to the airport [Kanombe International Airport].
The products are carried to the airport by cooling vehicles. Delivered to the airport, the export produce is also stored in a refrigerator; at the airport exist such refrigerators. Once loaded onto the airplane, the produce faces no issues, as planes are equipped with refrigerated cargo holds. The products are stored in the chilled section of the aircraft and delivered to customers while still fresh, based on the specifications provided by the clients. We export between 10 and 12 tons of produce per day.”
Environmental responsibility at Garden Fresh stands as important as maintaining product quality. The company carefully employs refrigerants safe for both the atmosphere and the ozone layer, assuring sustainable cooling practices throughout its operations. Karuhanga says “Gas that we use is one which doesn’t pollute the atmosphere or harm the ozone layer. It is the gas called R 407 which constitutes a non-ozone layer depletion gas. The benefit of this gas is that we employ it as a refrigerant–enabling to create the chilling temperature we wish, while it remains environmentally safe, since to us this represents a noble goal. Harming the atmosphere or environment will ultimately negatively affect all of us.”
Behind the tour: awareness on clean air
Every 7 and 16 September, the entire world celebrates the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies and the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer respectively. Rwanda has decided to combine the celebration of the two days on 16 September 2025, seen their profound link. It is in this respect that REMA held the tour. The purpose was for the journalists to (1) understand the critical role of sustainable practices in protecting the atmosphere and ozone layer, and (2) equip them with accurate information to inform the public and promote environmental stewardship across the country.
REMA has stated “REMA is organizing a media tour, to provide journalists with a first-hand opportunity to [1] witness Rwanda’s efforts to conserve air quality and safeguard the ozone layer, explore innovative initiatives in vehicular emission testing, clean cooking technologies, and sustainable cooling systems, [2] engage with experts and communities implementing these solutions, [3] raise public awareness through impactful media coverage that promotes Rwanda’s vision for green growth and climate resilience.”
In the meantime, the UN underscores “Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk of our time. It also exacerbates climate change, causes economic losses, and reduces agricultural productivity. It knows no borders – everyone has a responsibility to protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for all. By collaborating across borders, sectors, and silos, we can reduce air pollution through collective investments of time, resources and efforts.
[On] this International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, we call upon everyone — from governments and corporations to civil society and individuals — to join the race for solutions. We’re Racing for Clean Air. By tackling air pollution proactively, we can achieve transformative change and secure healthy air for all.”
It adds “A two-fold problem. health impact: tiny, invisible particles of pollution penetrate deep into our lungs, bloodstream and bodies. These pollutants are responsible for about one-third of deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory disease, and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of deaths from heart attack. Ground-level ozone, produced from the interaction of many different pollutants in sunlight, is also a cause of asthma and chronic respiratory illnesses.
Climate impact: short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) are among those pollutants most linked with both health effects and near-term warming of the planet. They persist in the atmosphere for as little as a few days or up to a few decades, so reducing them can have an almost immediate health and climate benefits for those living in places where levels fall.”
Air pollution has not only emerged as one of the most urgent environmental and public health challenges of our time, but also its consequences are not confined by borders. It affects both urban and rural populations and putting the most vulnerable at greatest risk. The UN underlines this crisis in its warning which calls for urgent action. “Preventing and reducing air pollution to improve air quality globally, air pollution is the single greatest environmental risk to human health and one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally, with some estimated 6.5 million premature deaths (2016) across the world attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Particularly in developing countries, air pollution disproportionately affects women, children and the elderly, especially in low-income populations as they are often exposed to high levels of ambient air pollution and indoor air pollution from cooking and heating with wood fuel and kerosene. Аir pollution is a global problem with far-reaching impacts owing to its transport over long distances. In the absence of aggressive intervention, the number of premature deaths resulting from ambient air pollution is estimated to be on track to increase by more than 50 per cent by 2050.”
In terms of the preservation of the ozone layer, there prevail positive progress and hope. The UN, in its undated piece “2025 Theme: From science to global action”, highlights “Forty years ago, nations came together under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and agreed to take appropriate measures to protect people and the planet from harmful UV radiation pouring through a potentially damaged ozone layer.They succeeded. Based on additional scientific information, the Montreal Protocol was adopted and chlorofluorocarbons – man-made chemicals used in refrigeration, aerosol sprays and foam production – started being phased out setting the ozone layer on the road to recovery.
On World Ozone Day, we celebrate this achievement and look forward to another forty years of action. The scientific confirmation of the depletion of the ozone layer prompted the international community to establish a mechanism for cooperation to take action to protect the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol and Vienna Convention remain crucial for monitoring ozone and UV radiation levels, as well as ozone-depleting substances and other chemicals, such as hydrofluorocarbons (greenhouse gases), being phased out under the Kigali Amendment. The ozone treaties have epitomised the concept of moving from Science to Global Action. And they will do so for many years to come.”
As Rwanda is continuing to advance in sustainable cooling and environmental innovation, REMA is urging all stakeholders — from businesses to the general public — to adopt eco-friendly practices that safeguard both food security and the atmosphere. The authority emphasizes upon the importance of collective action to reduce air pollution and protect the ozone layer for current and future generations. It highlights “Everyone has a part to play in cleaning our air and protecting our health.”
By combining technological innovation with public awareness, Rwanda is setting an example for proactive environmental stewardship across Africa. REMA explains “Rwanda, as a Party to both the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol (including the Kigali Amendment), has demonstrated strong commitment to phasing out ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and transitioning toward climate-friendly, energy-efficient alternatives. The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), through its National Ozone Unit (NOU), leads implementation efforts under these treaties.
Rwanda has been actively engaged in actions addressing air pollution and ozone protection through various initiatives and policies. By establishing the regulatory frameworks aiming to control air pollution, establishing air quality monitoring across the country to inform the general public on air quality information. This year Rwanda will start [has started] a state of art standalone vehicle emission inspection program (REIP), equipped with advanced emission testing technologies, this new emission testing program aims to address vehicle emission as the biggest contributor to air pollution especially in urban areas.”
The tour provided journalists with first-hand exposure to how sustainable refrigeration technologies are not only addressing post-harvest food losses but also protecting the environment by meeting the highest international efficiency and ozone-friendly standards. This first-hand exposure thus enabled the journalists to deepen their awareness of Rwanda’s pioneering environmental innovations and to amplify this knowledge through their content, fostering greater public understanding and engagement.
While this media tour highlighted remarkable achievements in sustainable cooling and refrigeration, the detailed mechanisms through which these technologies will ultimately tackle post-harvest losses remain unexplored in this coverage. Life In Humanity will therefore approach ACES and other stakeholders to dig deeper into the technical and practical aspects of these innovations, ensuring that our readers gain a complete understanding of how such solutions can transform food security, strengthen livelihoods, and safeguard the environment. In doing so, we aim to eliminate any chances of informational gaps and to continue amplifying knowledge that drives meaningful change.