By Eamonn Ryan
This is part one of a multi-part Cold Link Africa series examining lessons for Africa from a Global Cold Chain Foundation (GCCF) webinar focused on Latin America. The series explores how cold chain development initiatives are structured, funded and sustained in emerging markets and how it could be applied in Africa. This is part one of a five-part series.
GCCF has been active in international cold chain development for more than 20 years, delivering projects that address gaps in infrastructure, skills and institutional capacity across emerging markets. Since beginning this work in 2002, the Foundation has completed over 130 projects in 72 countries, working with public agencies, private companies and multilateral institutions to strengthen temperature-controlled supply chains.
These activities formed the backdrop to GCCF’s first webinar of 2026, which focused on coaching and development initiatives in Latin America. The session offered a detailed look at how cold chain development work is carried out in practice, from early-stage feasibility and training to longer-term industry engagement.
At the outset, speakers clarified the distinct roles played by the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) and the Foundation. GCCA’s work is member-driven and typically concentrated in markets where the cold chain industry is sufficiently mature to sustain an association presence. GCCF, by contrast, operates primarily through externally funded projects in markets where cold chain capacity is still developing. These projects often serve as the first point of structured engagement with local industry and can play a catalytic role in shaping future growth.
This two-track model is relevant to any market navigating the transition from donor-supported initiatives to industry-led development. Projects create entry points, test approaches and build foundational knowledge, while association activity consolidates progress once the market can support it independently.
The webinar also set the context for the year under review. International development conditions have shifted significantly, with reduced funding and increased uncertainty forcing organisations to adapt their strategies. Rather than presenting an abstract overview, the discussion was grounded in the realities of programme cancellations, resource constraints and the need to prioritise activities that deliver lasting value.
What emerged clearly was GCCF’s emphasis on knowledge transfer and capacity building as central pillars of cold chain development. Infrastructure alone was not presented as a solution; instead, the focus was on developing technical skills, operational understanding and professional networks that allow cold chain systems to function reliably over time.
As this series will explore further, the Latin American experience discussed in the webinar provides a practical case study of how cold chain development evolves under real-world constraints. Many of the structural features described – the reliance on projects, the gradual shift toward industry support and the importance of training – are familiar across emerging markets and will resonate strongly with Cold Link Africa’s readership.
Next in part two: How GCCF navigated a turbulent year for international development and what this reveals about building resilience in cold chain initiatives.