Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant: Operators Manual

Abstract

The global food supply faces challenges in meeting demand, primarily due to deficiencies in distribution systems and significant post-harvest losses, particularly in developing countries. According to the FAO, despite producing 1.5 times the amount of food needed worldwide, approximately one-third of global production is lost throughout the value chain. In low- and middle-income countries, food loss predominantly happens on farms and during distribution. Insufficient cold storage capacity, the absence of standards, and inadequate technology tailored to smallholder farmers exacerbate the issue. Addressing these challenges not only improves food security but also reduces poverty. One potential solution is the promotion of decentralised and multi-commodity cold rooms strategically located near farms and markets. Operating under the Cooling-as-a-Service business model, these rooms would be more accessible to farmers and accommodate multi-cropping farming patterns. This manual provides a comprehensive guide filled with insights into the fresh produce value chain and practical tips to assist cold room operators in managing solar-powered cold rooms that store multiple crops together. By following the guidance in this manual, operators can ensure that smallholder farmers derive maximum value from utilising the cold rooms.

Chapter 1: introduces the post-harvest loss problem and presents decentralised cold rooms as a solution. It explores how these innovative facilities can help mitigate the issue and contribute to sustainable development goals.
Chapter 2: examines the different phases of the fresh produce value chain. It discusses factors influencing crop quality during the post-harvest stage and provides best practices to optimise storage life based on temperature requirements and ethylene sensitivity.
Chapter 3: elaborates on applying the Cooling-as-a-Service business model in the agricultural sector. It describes the operational responsibilities of cooling companies, operators, and community groups such as farmer producer organisations and self-help groups. The chapter introduces Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (Your VCCA), a joint project by the Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy and Empa. Your VCCA combines servitisation and digitalisation to build smallholders’ trust and benefit from post-harvest cooling. The flagship app, Coldtivate, helps manage cold rooms and monitor the remaining storage life of stored crops, enabling profitable sales decisions. The chapter explains how the app’s operational responsibilities are divided among the three user types.
Chapter 4: provides troubleshooting measures for technical issues in solar-powered cold rooms.
Chapter 5: outlines the main steps for cooling companies, operators, and farmers to begin their Coldtivate journey.