U-3ARC U-3ARC Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
U-3ARC Union of Associations of African Actors in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Hunger in Africa: Is Kampala’s Success Hidden in Our Tax Codes?

How can we feed more than 1 billion people if YOU, African policymaker, consider refrigeration as a luxury and over‑tax cooling equipment imports from 40% to 111%?”. This blunt question, asked by Madi Sakandé – international expert and President of U‑3ARC – at the Rome Nutrition Week 2026, is not mere provocation. It highlights a crippling contradiction that holds Africa back. 



Hunger in Africa: Is Kampala’s Success Hidden in Our Tax Codes?

The Kampala CAADP Declaration (2026‑2035) sets bold targets: a 50 % cut in post‑harvest losses, a 45 % increase in agrifood output, a tripling of intra‑African agricultural trade, and ultimately zero hunger. An ambitious, necessary roadmap. But none of it is achievable without a functional cold chain.

Today, 30 % to 50 % of all perishable food produced in Africa – fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, fish – spoils before reaching a market or a plate. This is not a climatic fatality; it is a policy choice. Every tonne lost wastes water, land, labour, and emits unnecessary greenhouse gases.

The example Madi Sakandé showed, a solar‑powered cold room in Burkina Faso, proves that affordable, energy‑efficient solutions already exist and work. Yet they remain rare, stifled by punitive import duties. Taxing a compressor or cold‑room insulation at over 40 % directly punishes food sovereignty.

Of course, this is not a call for zero taxation or uncontrolled imports. A fair transition is possible: lower duties on high‑efficiency, natural‑refrigerant equipment (CO₂, propane, ammonia); foster local manufacturing and certified maintenance; integrate cooling into national climate adaptation plans.

Agenda 2063 and the Kampala targets are still within reach if African states decide to see refrigeration differently. It is no longer a rich‑country luxury; it is a silent infrastructure for health, education, jobs, and food dignity.

U‑3ARC represents over 20,000 companies and 150,000 certified technicians ready to support governments. Only political will is missing. 

What if we started by revising those taxes?