Mapping the food system: Identifying critical loss points and enhancing efficiency
Case study with Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES)
In Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), food security is often jeopardised by inefficiencies and critical loss points across the food supply chain. Mapping these points within the food system allows for precise, targeted interventions that can reduce losses, optimise productivity, and support local resources to address food security challenges effectively. This webinar will delve into these issues through an in-depth case study with the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES) in Rwanda. We will explore the fresh produce supply chain, identifying the most critical loss points and presenting strategic interventions to mitigate these inefficiencies. Participants will gain insight into innovative solutions, including the development of sustainable cold chain facilities, advanced transport methods, and capacity-building programmes designed to support resilient and sustainable cold chain.
Speakers: Regis Umugiraneza.
Session lead: Tobi Fadiji
Dr Tobi Fadiji is an Agricultural Engineer specialising in postharvest technology, with a focus on reducing food losses, maintaining product quality, and adding value to agricultural products through emerging technologies. As a Research Fellow in Postharvest Management at Cranfield University, he is involved in teaching and supervision in the Agrifood MSc programme as well as research required to tackle the complex challenges of feeding the world sustainably. A key aspect of Dr Fadiji's work is his role as a core team member of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES). Other research expertise spans across sustainable packaging, green postharvest strategies, numerical simulation and modelling of agricultural and packaging systems/processes, and the application of machine learning in postharvest processes. Dr Fadiji is also an honorary affiliate as a research associate at the Postharvest and Agroprocessing Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, and serves as a guest editor for a special issue on Sustainable Fruit Packaging in the Food Packaging and Shelf Life journal.
