UK minister, two Rwandan ministers visit cold-chain solutions at Festival of Cooling in Kigali

Baroness Chapman, the United Kingdom’s Minister for International Development and Africa, on Friday, October 10, attended the concluded Festival of Cooling at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) in Rubirizi, Kigali.

The festival which started on October 6 focused on cooling solutions in health sector and, agriculture.

The focus was based on the fact that, In Africa, up to 40% of food is lost to post-harvest due to a lack of cold storage, while health systems depend on reliable cold-chains to safeguard vaccines and medicines.

As global temperatures rise, cooling has become a vital infrastructure for life.

Chapman was together with Telesphore Ndabamenye, Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources, and Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment; and other key decision makers.

The visit to the festival of cooling highlighted the strong partnership between the UK and Rwanda in advancing sustainable cooling solutions that support agriculture, reduce food loss, and create green jobs.

Prof.Toby Peters, Professor of Cold Economy at the University of Birmingham and Founding Director of ACES said: “we have just had a series of guests. We’ve welcomed ministers from both the UK and Rwanda.

They were very excited to see what we are doing and eager to understand how we are supporting Rwanda’s national vision and strategy empowering farmers, reducing food loss, creating economic opportunities, and especially the work we’re doing with youth and women.”

He said the centre received significant commitment and support from officials.

“They’re already funding this programme extensively. It’s made possible by the financial contributions of both the UK and Rwandan governments. But what’s equally important is their engagement taking the time to come, learn about our work, meet with farmers and engineers, and explore how they can further support and help scale the programme across Rwanda,” he noted.

Day of farmers

On the fourth day of the Festival of Cooling, farmers had the opportunity to learn about sustainable cooling solutions for reducing post-harvest losses

Across much of sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions, farmers lose between 20% and 50% of their perishable produce after harvest—not due to poor yields, but because of the lack of reliable cold-chain infrastructure.

To help address this challenge, farmers took part in sessions to better understand innovative cooling solutions, such as solar-powered cold rooms, pre-cooling units, and temperature monitoring tools.

Through hands-on training, they learned about best practices in post-harvest handling, methods for reducing spoilage, the right timing and techniques for cooling, and basic load management to maximise shelf life.

Interactive sessions also introduced farmers to financing models such as leasing, pay-as-you-store, and cooling-as-a-service, highlighting how access to cooling can unlock new, high-value markets.

Farmers also connected with agribusinesses, exporters, input suppliers, and government programmes that can support them in expanding their post-harvest capabilities.

Peer-to-peer learning featured prominently, with farmers who have already adopted cold-chain solutions sharing their experiences and successes.

“As a farmer, after exploring the different cooling solutions, I realised we have several options to tackle post-harvest losses,” said Marie Claire Umubyeyi from Rwamagana District.

“I met others who are using solar-powered cold rooms for perishable produce—an essential solution in rural areas without access to the national electricity grid. We hope ACES will support more farmers.”

Claudine Niragire, another farmer who grows fruits and vegetables for export, shared how cooling solutions are helping ensure consistent market access.

“We store our produce in cold rooms where it stays fresh until we find buyers. We harvest French beans during the dry season, and our crops are never spoiled thanks to these facilities,” she said.

The officials met with these farmers and engineers, exploring how they can further scale and support the programme across Rwanda.

Telesphore Ndabamenye, Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources, reiterated the central role of farmers in achieving national food security, and emphasised the need to accelerate the uptake of post-harvest technologies.

“We are optimistic that farmers who visited the cooling centre will go on to adopt the available cooling solutions. Those who have gained knowledge and experience should also share it with others,” he said.

Lack of cold-chain infrastructure not only reduces incomes and undermines nutrition but also exacerbates gender disparities and constrains national GDP—issues that are central to Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture (PSTA 5).

Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, added:“As the Festival of Cooling wraps up, ACES demonstrates how global agreements such as the Kigali Amendment and the Montreal Protocol can deliver tangible local impact through strong partnerships and local ownership. In a warming world, cooling isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. I encourage everyone to visit ACES and see the solutions in action.”

The day brought together the architects of systemic change: ministers, policymakers, development finance institutions, multilateral agencies, and private sector leaders.

These are the key actors who can unlock catalytic investments, embed cold-chain priorities into national development strategies, and institutionalise support mechanisms that deliver long-term, inclusive impact.