The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.

Standard Group Plc HQ Office,
The Standard Group Center,Mombasa Road.
P.O Box 30080-00100,Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone number: 0203222111, 0719012111
Email: [email protected]

NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Kenya should invest in cold chain solutions to boost food security

Opinion

By Alice Nyaoro | Mar 09, 2025

**Peter Irungu commonly known as “Peter Fruits” at his fruit stall business situated along Kayole-Manyanja junction in Nairobi on August 30, 2023.** [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Invest in cold chain solutions to boost food security in Kenya

Waste amidst want. That, perhaps, is the best way to summarise Kenya’s food security situation. Sample this: When more than four million Kenyans faced extreme hunger in 2022 due to the worst drought to have hit the country in 40 years, it was also being reported that 40 per cent of food had gone to waste due to limited access to markets and poor post-harvest practices.

And as population increases, climate change deepens, and food supply chains get disrupted, we are likely to see more food going to waste even as more Kenyans starve year in year out. One of the best ways to deal with the situation is to create effective cold chain solutions. Cold chain is temperature-controlled distribution system that ensures food produce and pharmaceuticals and vaccines have a longer shelf-life.

Studies have shown that cold chain can prevent food losses and improve food hygiene. A 2023 study on the status of the cold chain market in Kenya says that cold chains ensure food security by reducing food price inflation, buffering the food supply, and overcoming seasonal shortfalls.

The buffering dampens the price fluctuations that typically put vulnerable communities at risk of poverty and hunger and better supports the growth of farmers’ incomes.

Keep Reading business

Temperature-controlled logistics ensures that perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish, poultry and other meat products are stored and transported at optimal temperatures, thereby extending their shelf-life and reducing spoilage. But despite its significance, cold chain remains underdeveloped in Kenya.

Smallholder farmers, fisheries, the meat industry and pharmaceutical distributors struggle to access reliable cold storage and transportation. Lack of access to cold storage facilities means that a significant portion of their harvest is lost before it even reaches the market. This not only undermines their livelihoods but also exacerbates food insecurity.

One of the reasons cold chain is underveloped in Kenya in particular and in Africa in general is the high cost of establishment and maintenance. It is capital-intensive and requires significant investment in infrastructure, equipment, and energy. For smallholder farmers, the costs of cold storage and transportation are prohibitive.

Cold chain’s reliability on electricity is also a hindrance, especially given many rural areas in Kenya lack access to the grid, making it difficult to operate cold storage facilities and refrigerated vehicles. There is also limited awareness of the benefits of using cold chain solutions, mainly among rural smallholder farmers.

Not to mention poor road conditions and traffic congestion that increase travel time and the risk of perishable products becoming damaged and spoiled. In addition, poor roads and infrastructure can damage refrigerated trucks/vehicles. Climate change that makes weather patterns unpredictable is also to blame.

Market dynamics have also contributed greatly to the underdeveloped of Kenya’s cold chain infrastructure. A study titled, 'Assessment of the cold chain market in Kenya', says that most of the food produced in Kenya is consumed within the country, and informal channels are common for selling products.

For instance, over 99 per cent of meat and 96 per cent of fruits and vegetables are consumed locally through farmgate or domestic markets. Unlike export markets, domestic markets typically lack strict regulations and standards that require the use of a cold chain. While some players may use cold chain methods to extend produce shelf life, cooling is not mandatory.

But it is not all doom and gloom. First, development of energy-efficient and solar-powered cold storage solutions in the country offers a promising avenue for reducing costs and improving access in off-grid areas.

On the funding front, public-private partnerships – collaboration between the government, private sector, and development organisations – can help to mobilise the resources needed to expand cold chain infrastructure in the country.

All in all, developing an effective cold chain system requires a holistic approach that combines investment in infrastructure, technological innovation, and capacity building. Governments, private sector actors, and development organisations must come together to invest in cold chain infrastructure, promote innovation, and build capacity to minimise food loss and ensure food security in the country.