Executive Dialogue 1 – Ensuring a Sustainable Cold Chain by India@100 Powered by Danfoss Industries

Session Brief: India has emerged as one of the world's second-largest producers of fruits and vegetables. However, with India's growing population, there will be an additional 430 million mouths to feed, hinting that food security and hunger to remain the most pressing concerns in the next few decades. Further, the sector continues to experience significant post-harvest losses, which are a cause of rising distress for India's small-holder farmers. The Indian government recognises the need for developing post-harvest infrastructure and has formulated several schemes, such as the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Mega Food Park Scheme, and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). Recent interventions, such as the formation of the Doubling Farmers Income (DFI) committee and the Gati-Shakti Master Plan, will improve farmers' income, increase employment opportunities and strengthen market linkages. This journey of developing a sustainable cold chain will help the country decarbonise its energy system and increase its economy and meet the Net Zero ambitions by mid-century. However, some questions still need answers:

• What hinders the on-ground implementation of government programs for strengthening cold-chain infrastructure? How can these be resolved?
• Is it difficult to develop a sustainable cold chain in India, employing energy-efficient technologies?