ACES Annual Review: March 2024
In less than four years, we have progressed rapidly from conceptualisation to the realisation of a physical campus in Kigali, the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES). The past six months, in particular, mark a significant milestone as the Government of Rwanda spearheaded the construction of a brand-new Demo Hall and the extensive refurbishment of the campus. New equipment is now arriving on campus and indeed, also into our first spin-out project, SPOKE, in Kenya.
By the end of summer 2024, ACES will house Africa’s first Environment Test Chamber, a groundbreaking facility enabling the testing and eventual certification of equipment tailored to African needs, and the world’s largest single demonstration of cold- chain equipment of all scales and applications, complemented by state-of-the-art training facilities and inclusive courses. Simultaneously, in Kenya, we will launch the community outreach programmes in spring 2024, including giving farmers the opportunity to trial technology before making investments. All of these will be underpinned with a strong cohort of trained trainers and technicians.
At the same time, we have seen rapid progress with the work to develop more resilient vaccine cold- chains and prepare African healthcare systems for the deployment needs of new vaccine technologies and manage the concurrent challenges from climate change. The VaccMap project is using novel digital tracking and accountability technology to systematically determine the precise vaccine losses through the chain. VaccAir will use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s or drones) to fly vaccines to remote clinics to reduce remote vaccine store needs. We have also secured regulatory approval for clinical trials of concurrent VSV-Ebola and mRNA-COVID vaccinations for more efficient African healthcare worker protection.
The programme and the system-level approach are now being recognised as world-leading work that will have real impact on people’s lives globally, aligning closely with key objectives of resilience, sustainability, equality, diversity, and inclusion. To this end, the programme has already expanded its footprint into India.
We are also deeply engaged in pivotal dialogues. The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, then COP26 President, visited the campus during CHOGM in 2022. Alongside our presence at both COP27 and 28 and other major events, we are setting the agenda through our own events, such as the Vaccine Symposium in 2023, regular reports and academic papers. We are also developing partnerships with industry as well as the health, education and research sectors. Collaboration with regional and global partners is indispensable for effectively addressing a myriad of challenges, including global food and health crises, fostering innovation within industries and manufacturing, mitigating inequalities and combating climate change. Furthermore, we have secured new grants - more than £2M - to underpin high-quality research.
Whilst Defra ODA funding has played a crucial supporting role in establishing the programme and there is scope to expand further through additional funding next year, the success of the project is, however, equally dependent on people and creating a community with a diverse range of voices and experience at all levels. And to this end the programme goes from strength-to-strength. At the time of writing, we have more than 60 researchers and experts from various countries, with more than half based in Africa and India and a large family of collaborative partners providing equipment, training and other support. It is essential to continue to bolster international cooperation, channel expertise and unlock new partnerships and sources of financing. Reflecting the expansion and vision, a new independent Institute, the Africa Cooling and Cold-chain Institute, has been created to not only manage ACES in Rwanda, but also to lead the programme in Africa.
Over the past 12 months, we have highlighted the pivotal role of cold- chain – and indeed cooling - as critical infrastructure. Without cooling and cold-chains, we would not have access to safe and nutritious food; the efficacy of medicines and vaccines would be compromised; homes, workplaces, hospitals and public spaces would be less comfortable for safe living, productive work, effective study, healthcare provision and pleasurable leisure; and the digital systems that underpin every aspect of contemporary life would be unable to operate.
Today, we have a clear imperative for change. In the context of a hotter world, cooling provision will become even more critical. But with the world’s first Cold-chain and Cooling Institute, with its own campus and outreach SPOKEs being established in Africa, we now have the frontline capability to accelerate a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive transformation on a systemic level.
Professor Toby Peters
Director, Centre for Sustainable Cooling
University of Birmingham and Heriot-Watt University
Read the full March 2024 Review (PDF download)
