By Eamonn Ryan
This webinar titled ‘Strengthening the Cold Chain: Analysis and Recommendations for West Africa’, focused on current cold chain conditions and future opportunities in Ghana, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. Hosted by the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), it featured a panel of global and regional cold chain experts with deep operational, technical and policy experience. The panel included:
- Greg Laurin, president, Conestoga Cold Stores
- Nicholas Pedneault, CEO, Congebec
- Roudy Akiki, COO Africa, CT-Technologies
- Paul Matthew, director, GCCA Africa
- Amanda Brondy, vice-president, International Projects, GCCA
- Madison Jaco, manager, International Projects, GCCA
Together, these speakers brought perspectives spanning cold storage operations, logistics, engineering, energy systems, investment and international development programming.
This is part eight of an eight-part series, and this final section outlines GCCA and GCCF’s planned mentorship, training, consultation, and study tour initiatives designed to address cold chain gaps and support sustainable growth in West Africa.
A cornerstone of GCCF’s response to the identified gaps is the launch of a structured cold chain mentorship programme. During field visits, GCCA staff received numerous company-specific technical and operational questions that could not be adequately addressed through standard publications or one-time trainings.
The mentorship programme is designed to provide ongoing, personalised guidance to operators working in developing cold chain markets such as Ghana, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. The programme will connect 12 local mentees – including cold storage operators and engineers – with experienced global cold chain professionals.
Mentors will have 10 or more years of industry experience and will be paired with mentees based on technical focus areas and language requirements (English or French). Monthly meetings will allow participants to address challenges related to operations, design, energy efficiency, food safety, business development and technology adoption.
Each mentor-mentee pair will develop a customised roadmap outlining professional and business development priorities over a five-year horizon. These roadmaps will not only support individual companies but also inform GCCF’s broader training strategy to ensure that future programmes are tailored to regional needs.
Last year, GCCF implemented in-person and virtual training programmes in collaboration with USDA initiatives and GCCA members. Topics included:
- HACCP and food safety systems
- Threat and vulnerability assessments
- Cold storage operations and maintenance
- Energy efficiency and sustainability
In parallel, GCCF conducted on-site technical consultations, where experts walk through facilities and provide targeted recommendations. Priority access will be given to companies participating in the mentorship programme.
Collectively, these initiatives aim to:
- Reduce food loss and waste
- Improve food safety and quality
- Enable regional and international trade
- Support private-sector investment
- Build local technical and managerial capacity
GCCA and GCCF emphasised that sustainable cold chain development requires long-term engagement, partnership with governments and industry, and continuous skills development.