UN Capital Development Fund 32d ago

This SINTEF - UNCDF webinar brought together Amalie Østhassel from the Norwegian-African Business Association, Kristina Norne from SINTEF, and Charles Wetherill from UNCDF to examine what resilient food systems require — from cold chain infrastructure and digital traceability to the financing structures that connect smallholder farmers to markets. A few things worth noting from the discussion: ➡️ Traceability is operational. The tools exist. The barrier is cost and the absence of demand signals from off-takers. The EU Deforestation Regulation is beginning to change that, making digital traceability required for market access. ➡️ Cold chain is the missing link between farm gate and market. Around 60% of food requires cooling or freezing. Solar-powered cold storage using natural refrigerants is available but reaching the farmers and local governments who need it most requires both training and financing that most commercial actors won't provide first. ➡️ Perceived risk in African food systems is higher than actual risk. When you understand the value chain and invest in it holistically — connecting smallholder farmers to local processors to off-takers — you find viable investment opportunities. UNCDF's role is to be the first mover, demonstrate viability, and then make the case loudly enough that others follow. Chapters: 0:00 — The Challenge: Post-Harvest Losses, Fragmented Actors, Stalled Scale 2:34 — Meet the Panelists 5:36 — Africa, Trade, and the Power of Offtake 9:35 — Refrigerants, Cold Chains and the Food System 16:06 — Catalytic Investment in Food Systems 22:23 — Which Innovations Have the Greatest Potential to Reshape Food System Resilience? 33:11 — How Do We Build Effective Collaboration Across the Value Chain? 54:07 — Alignment Is the Challenge — Not Ambition 🔗 Read our new Strategic Framework: https://www.uncdf.org/strategic-framework Get involved: 🔗 UNCDF: https://www.uncdf.org 🔗 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncdf 🔗 Follow on X: https://x.com/UNCDF 🔗 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncdf 🔗 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNCDF 🔗 Follow on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@uncdf 🔗 Follow on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncdf.bsky.social #uncdf #unitednations © UN Capital Development Fund 2026. All rights reserved.