Omar Peñarubia, 26 October 2020

In the absence of a well-functioning cold chain, fresh fish, being highly perishable, suffers dramatic quality deterioration and spoilage, leading ultimately to loss and waste. The global food cold chain market is projected to reach USD 526 billion in 2027, being driven by the increasing trade of perishable goods. However, for the small-scale fisheries sector, cold chain development is hampered by investment costs and access to reliable low-cost sources of energy. 

COVID-19 has disrupted fish value chains and changing consumer demand and market access have resulted in logistical problems, such as transportation restrictions and border controls, and has resulted in an increased reliance on aspects of the cold chain, such as cold storage, to prevent food loss and waste. 

COVID-19 has put cold chain weaknesses under the spotlight. Preliminary research conducted by the University of Oxford and Makerere University in Uganda highlighted the importance of having well-functioning cold chains and storage facilities for supply chain resilience and mitigation of disruption during the COVID-19 crisis. 

In Indonesia, the risk of food loss and waste is increasing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to disruption of supply chains, transportation restrictions and the implementation of quarantine measures. The Indonesia Fishery Product Processing and Marketing Association reported an 80 percent drop in demand for fishery products, resulting in an increase in fish loss and waste and exacerbated by limited access to processing technology and cold chain storage facilities. In Uganda, the fresh fish value chain largely collapsed following the COVID-19 lockdown due to the lack of a developed and functioning cold chain, particularly the lack of ice production and large-scale fish storage and freezing facilities. 

But cold chain development is highly dependent on energy. According to the World Bank, in 2018, 789 million people across the world did not have access to electricity and it is estimated that 620 million people will still remain without electricity by 2030. 85 percent of these people will be in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

But what about renewable energy? Can different renewable energy sources such as sun, wind, water, biomass and geothermal energy be tapped to supply reliable electricity for cold chain development? Could independent mini-grids and solar infrastructure help isolated fishing communities to develop cold chain facilities and services and thus reduce loss and waste? 

Already, solar photovoltaic systems (PV), wind power and biomass energy are gaining traction in the fast-growing renewable energy sector. At 69 percent of the total final energy consumption in 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa shows the highest share of this sector. 

Modular, solar-powered walk-in cold rooms for 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods, including fish, are being used in Nigeria. Solar panels are mounted on the roof of the cold room, which has a 2-tonne storage capacity. In Kenya, a pilot project for community-owned solar-powered microgrids, funded by Comic Relief, has been introduced to six of the poorest fishing communities on Lake Victoria. These small, stand-alone solar power plants or “hubs” provide clean, affordable energy, and provide lighting in homes and opportunities for small businesses, such as in ice making, to grow.  

In the remote islands of Wakatobi and Pacitan in Indonesia, solar-powered cold storage facilities have been installed. These facilities have the capacity to keep 1 tonne of fish at -2°C. The system can also be used for ice-making. While in the Solomon Islands, WorldFish and the West Are’are Rokotanikeni Association (WARA) have introduced solar-powered freezers into different villages. These freezers provide an alternative to the more costly and centralised cold storage provided by fisheries centres. The solar-powered freezers are small and relatively cheap and can be used in remote areas to preserve fish and make ice. 

Cold chains are essential to prevent fish loss and waste and weaknesses in them have been exposed by COVID-19. Well-functioning cold chains rely on access to energy. To a certain extent, renewable energy is starting to play more of a role in cold chain development, especially in small-scale fisheries, helping to reduce food loss and waste and build more resilient fish value chains. A greater focus on the role of renewable energy in cold chain development should be considered a priority going forward.

Find more information and resources on how to use cold storage to reduce food loss and waste here.