.........

The Africa Center of Excellence for sustainable cooling and cold chain(ACES) hosted by the University of Rwanda in Kigali, Rubilizi Campus with specialized Outreach and knowledge Establishments (SPOKES) organizes a one-day workshop to accelerate cold-chain and post-harvest management.

The objective of the workshop is to accelerate the uptake of sustainable cooling and cold-chain solutions in the Agriculture and health sectors in Africa, improving livelihoods, health, food and nutritional security of rural communities, thereby bringing environmental, social and economic development. Working together with governments, industry, academia, communities and wider stakeholders, ACES aims to develop optimized sustainable cold-chain strategies, demonstrate technologies and solutions and to provide the skills, capacity building and business models to accelerate the deployment of fit-for-market solutions to meet the needs of undeserved communities.

Speaking to the event, Dr. Guillaume NYAGATARE, the Principal of UR-CAVM welcomes participants in the campus that is transforming into an ever more beautiful space for training farmers, exporters, engineers, medical health professionals. He also emphasized on UR mission and mandate academic exercises and explain that ACES goes beyond that by :
(i) Offering a strategic approach to applied research into areas of greatest need to Rwanda and Africa ;
(ii) Supporting entrepreneurs by linking them with investors and established industry partners,
(iii)Elimination of Hunger and strengthening food security ; Reduction of our contribution to global warming, adaptation to it ; Reduction post-harvest losses and revitalisation of Rural communities ; Youth Employment and Gender Equality ;(iv)Knowledge based economy : Training new generation professionals and experts students as well as building the expertise of seasoned equipment technicians and local farmers, and
(v) Interfacing with officials on policies that enable cold-chain solutions to thrive.
The event was marked by a tour intended to visit Rubilizi campus developments included renovations done, teaching facilities for ACES students and partners and interactive sessions with different partners to explore these developments and to discuss how to help shape and engage with ACES.

Jacqueline UMUPFASONI
PR&CEO/ UR-Busogo Campus