Every year, millions of tons of food are lost before they ever reach a plate. In Morocco, as much as half of fruits and vegetables never make it to market. Farmers lose income, families face higher prices, and the climate pays the price. Food rotting in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. It is an invisible cycle of waste that drains livelihoods and accelerates climate change.
Behind this problem is a gap most people rarely think about: cold storage. Without reliable, temperature-controlled facilities, fresh produce spoils within days, meat and dairy cannot travel long distances, and vital medicines lose their effectiveness. Cold chain infrastructure may not grab headlines, but it is one of the quiet foundations of food security and public health.

In response, a major cold storage facility is being developed near Casablanca, set to be the largest of its kind in Morocco. The project will transform two outdated warehouses into a modern, climate-smart logistics hub that, once operational, will handle up to a third of the city’s cold storage capacity. By giving smallholder farmers, food producers, exporters, and even pharmaceutical distributors access to reliable, temperature-controlled storage, it will cut food loss, open stronger export markets, and ensure vaccines and medicines remain safe, and for families, it promises more affordable and reliable food on the table.

Cold storage does more than keep food fresh. Done right, it is also a climate solution. By cutting post-harvest losses, the Casablanca project prevents huge amounts of food waste from ending up in landfills, where it would emit methane. By introducing energy-efficient insulation, renewable energy like rooftop solar, and natural refrigerants with low global warming potential, the facility will also keep its own footprint small. Early estimates suggest annual reductions of 400 to 1300 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Equally important, the project helps farmers adapt to a changing climate. In Morocco — one of the most water-stressed countries in the world — heatwaves, droughts, and erratic rainfall are putting harvests at risk and making it harder for producers to recover from shocks. Cold storage offers a critical buffer, extending the life of perishable goods and protecting incomes that might otherwise be lost overnight. With similar projects being explored in Senegal and other water-scarce contexts, the model holds strong potential for climate adaptation across the region.