Aston University, RAD launch off-grid cold box to combat food waste in East Africa

UGANDA – The UK’s Aston University and Ugandan agribusiness Rural Aquaculture Development Global (RAD) have launched RADiCool, an off-grid cold storage solution designed for smallholder farmers and fishers in East Africa.

The innovation, backed by the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund, uses phase change material (PCM) technology to preserve perishable goods, such as fish, for up to 48 hours.

The compact, insulated cold box incorporates IoT sensors for real-time monitoring of temperature and location, and is designed to fit on motorcycles, the most common form of rural transport in the region.

“We know that most goods requiring a cold chain in Eastern and sub–Saharan Africa go without it,” said Dr. Ahmed Rezk, senior lecturer at Aston University.

“This is largely due to localized markets and small transport volumes.”

Tim Messeder, co-founder of RAD, added, “Our design relies on locally available materials and off-the-shelf components to ensure affordability and ease of repair.”

The lack of cold storage has been a persistent challenge across East Africa. In Uganda, as much as 42% of fish traders, many of them women, report losses due to inadequate cooling during lengthy transport from remote lakes and ponds.

Similar challenges exist in Ghana, where fruit juice producers struggle to maintain product quality during distribution.

A 2023 report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that 30–50% of perishable food in sub-Saharan Africa is lost after harvest, contributing to both food insecurity and economic strain.

During field trials, RADiCool demonstrated its ability to reduce internal temperatures from 25°C to refrigeration levels within four hours, without requiring pre-cooling.

PCM panels, which absorb and release thermal energy as they shift between solid and liquid states, were frozen using solar-powered hubs.

The technology enables extended shelf life and safer transport of fish, meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

The project’s developers emphasized two major technical hurdles: ensuring even temperature distribution throughout the box, and establishing a reliable supply chain for scalable production. With assistance from local partners, these challenges are gradually being addressed.

RAD and Aston University are now working to finalize an improved PCM panel design, expand testing, and bring local manufacturers on board.

They also plan to introduce a pay-per-use business model to make the cold boxes more accessible to rural entrepreneurs.

As East Africa contends with climate shocks and rising food costs, innovations like RADiCool offer a promising path forward in the region’s pursuit of resilient, sustainable food systems.

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