Strengthening the Cold Chain in West Africa Through Mentorship
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Since January, the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCF) has facilitated mentorship relationships between GCCA and CEBA expert members and local operators in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Morocco, and Mauritania. This mentorship program is a key aspect of GCCF’s U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded Emerging Markets Program in West Africa. The mentorships are intended to provide one-on-one technical support to individual cold storage and logistics operators, warehouse designers, business development professionals, and customer service representatives in West Africa, with the aim of increasing technical skills for the market. These mentorships also provide networking opportunities for GCCA and CEBA members and local operators to connect across continents.
To date, seven mentorship relationships have been established. Cold chain technical expertise has been provided by members in Brazil, Canada, Lebanon, South Africa, and the United States, with some mentors and mentees meeting monthly over virtual calls. Two such mentors are Willie Lafferty and Emily Goracke of SnoTemp Cold Storage.
“Being a mentor in the GCCA Cold Chain Mentorship Program was a very rewarding experience,” said Emily, a Customer Account Manager at SnoTemp Cold Storage. “I came in hoping to share my knowledge of the cold chain, but I walked away with a profound appreciation for the universal challenges and innovative spirit that connects our global industry. For my mentee, it was about building confidence and a solid operational foundation. For me, it was a powerful reminder that collaboration is our strongest tool.”
Willie, Director of Engineering, added, “It was a good experience to learn the challenges and opportunities in developing nations. I found a new appreciation for the critical steps the GCCA cold chain has implemented, making our food supply safe and resilient. The ability to spread the GCCA efforts to up and comers while building increased resilience in our own company programs is rewarding.”
Emily encouraged other members to get involved in mentorship. “If you’re on the fence about becoming a mentor, don’t hesitate. Your guidance can directly empower the next generation of cold chain leaders.”
GCCF will utilize the lessons learned and build on this program for other international projects. Thank you to GCCA members SnoTemp, Congebec, CT-Technologies, SuperFrio Logística Frigorificada, United States Cold Storage, Vertical Cold Storage, and CCS Logistics for support of this mentorship program.
