Developing a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Global Cold-Chain

A sustainable, resilient, and equitable cold-chain will be crucial for addressing multiple challenges ranging from global food and health security to poverty reduction. While cold-chain capacity has been growing in recent decades, the business-as-usual development pathways will: (1) likely not deliver against these challenges under traditional private-sector-led business models, as the areas where cold-chain investments are the most needed often do not present an immediate commercial business case; (2) suffer from a top-down and reductionist approach with a sole focus on cold storage rather than connectivity; and (3) not address the disconnect between low- and high-income countries. Hence, we argue for a radical change in the business model where governments work together and actively invest in the development of cold-chain as a part of lowincome countries' critical infrastructure through a public-private-community partnership model (PPCP). This would not only help low-income countries achieve their socioeconomic goals, but would also be critical for high-income countries, as it is likely that 500 million small-holder farmers in low-income countries will play a prominent role in feeding the global population of 9.7 billion by 2050. PPCP could unlock investments in acute areas that are often perceived as high-risk by the private sector alone, ensuring equitable access to sustainable and resilient cold-chains. However, such a step-change in the business model should be underpinned by a robust understanding of the real value of the cold-chain and return on investment.