SDG 9.1 + 12.3 – Reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses through the addition of quality and resilient infrastructure.

Expected impact: Smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across the value chain are expected to benefit from an increase in revenues through a reduction in post-harvest losses and better inventory management.

Challenge: Affordability remains a significant barrier for small to mid-sized businesses to access quality cold chain infrastructure. Only 3% of the total agricultural output in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is refrigerated at the first mile and half of what is produced is wasted and undervalued.

Channel: Demonstrate flexible cold storage model that allow customers to pay for cold storage services based on throughput aligned with off-taker cashflows rather than on fixed monthly payments.

Outcome: Replication of the flexible payment model leading to an expanded cold chain ecosystem in SSA.

Transition risk: Units will require 24/7 power for cooling and refrigeration so back-up diesel power will be required to meet this where the grid is unreliable and/or solar and battery options are not viable.

Resilience: Inspira Farms will conduct a physical risk assessment for each new site location and implement mitigation where required.

Improve the resilience of actors across the supply chain to the impacts of climate change by providing cold storage facilities that will reduce food wastage at a time when temperatures are rising and food scarcity is likely to rise.

Inspira Farms currently have a 40% female workforce and have committed to increasing this percentage over time.

As part of the due diligence process, 17 HSES improvement opportunities were identified which are now reflected in the Project Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP).