Pharma.Aero and TIACA (The International Air Cargo Association) have partnered on the Food and Farm for Health project to underscore the economical value and the dual role of air cargo in healthcare access and economical development in low- and middle-income countries. Strategically developed in collaboration with CCA (The Cool Chain Association) and HLA (The Humanitarian Logistics Association, the project seeks to optimize air cargo’s potential to deliver life-saving medicines while simultaneously supporting local agricultural economies.
Frank Van Gelder, Secretary General of Pharma.Aero, provides insight into the project’s goals and impact: “The Food and Farm for Health Project is about leveraging air cargo to address two critical needs in low- and middle-income countries: healthcare access and economic empowerment. We, at Pharma.Aero, recognized a critical gap and initiated this project to use air cargo as a dual-purpose tool: flying in life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies while flying out perishable agricultural products—like fruits, vegetables, and flowers—from local farmers to Western markets.
By utilizing available cargo space on return flights, we create a more cost-effective, efficient trade route. This approach not only ensures faster access to essential medicines and vaccines, but also opens new market opportunities for farmers, boosting local economies and providing better access to international markets”, said Van Gelder.
“Air cargo is more than a mode of transport — it’s a critical lifeline for economies and communities across the globe”, commented Steven Polmans, Chair of TIACA. “The completion of our Global Market Evolution Analysis marks a major milestone in understanding how perishable goods and pharmaceuticals move, especially in regions where access means everything. From Kenya’s flower exports supporting millions of jobs to India’s seafood sector driving billions in trade, our work confirms that airfreight is a catalyst for opportunity, health, and resilience.
As TIACA, we’re committed to building smarter, more equitable supply chains that serve both people and planet. This project is a key step in advancing that vision — and we thank all contributors for bringing their expertise and passion to this important work.”
Leveraging the expertise of specialists in pharmaceutical logistics, humanitarian supply chains, and temperature-sensitive freight, the project will analyze global air cargo movements, assess their economic impact and evaluate their role in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Food and Farm for Health initiative reinforces the shared mission of all four organizations to support equitable and sustainable access to healthcare and economic resilience globally.
The Cool Chain Association (CCA) is a non-profit organization bringing together all parts of the temperature-sensitive supply chain to create an impact with visible and measurable results both for companies and for society.
“Partnerships, connections and balance, as in so many areas of life, is going to be key to the success of this groundbreaking initiative”, highlighted Ian Buck, board member of the CCA.
“Aligning healthcare providers in their mission to provide lifesaving treatments and preventative medicines to developing and emerging regions, and in turn giving those regions an economic reach for their home grown and produced perishable products is the balance we seek. Highlighting those connections and looking to forge partnerships and understanding with solid data at either end we hope will provide access and benefits for all.”
Also Read: My Freighter Adds Eighth Boeing 767-300F to Cargo Fleet.
The Humanitarian Logistics Association (HLA) is a UK-based non-profit NGO whose members work on an individual basis or in partnerships, to respond to global emergencies. Established in 2009, HLA empowers logisticians to deliver humanitarian aid and development assistance more effectively, by facilitating better connections between supply and demand, and enabling cross sector learning, innovations and partnerships.
“The aid sector recognizes the need to change but is struggling to bring about transformation through evolution. There is a huge need to find innovative ways to strengthen local supply chain capability”, says George Fenton, CEO of HLA. “The air cargo industry is vital to the fast delivery of humanitarian aid, yet the last mile is still the greatest challenge. The Food and Farm for Health project will provide valuable insights to support effective, sustainable, change through improved cross-sector coordination, collaboration and knowledge sharing.”
New Delhi, India; March 29, 2023: Cargo Flash Infotech, a leading provider of logistics
software solutions, successfully hosted the first TIACA (The International Air Cargo
Association) Regional Event-India between March 27-29, 2023, with Co-founder and Director
Mr Jasraj Chug leading the way. Along with Gautam Mandal, Director of Products, and the
rest of the Cargo Flash team, he oversaw a successful start that included a ribbon-cutting
ceremony and participation from notable dignitaries. Cargo Flash Infotech’s participation as
the host sponsor further solidifies the company’s position as a leader in the logistics software
solutions industry.
Hosted at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi, the TIACA Regional Event- India assembled global
Air Cargo professionals, providing an opportunity for networking, learning, and
collaboration. With Cargo Flash Infotech as the ‘Host Sponsor’, attendees were treated to an
exceptional event that showcased the company’s expertise and commitment towards the
industry.
During the welcome address, Mr Jasraj S Chug thanked the entire ecosystem for their
significant contributions in their areas and to the nation, collectively, followed by India PM’s
initiatives of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives and expressed his
satisfaction with the event’s success, saying, “We feel humbled to have hosted this event. We
look forward to continuing to support the industry and providing cohesive, collaborative and
real-time solutions to our clients seeking transparency.”
The event saw continued success for Cargo Flash, with the senior management taking part in
important discussions. Mr.Jasraj contributed to the round table discussion on the ‘challenges
and opportunities present in the Indian Air Cargo market post-COVID’. As an industry
leader, he shared his insights on the topic, providing valuable information to attendees. “The
sector may not be withstanding the short-term distortions as passenger capacity is bouncing
back and yields decreasing however, there isa sturdy future for Air Cargo for the next 20
years,” he shares and further states, “Looking at essential capacity, wherein the world, India
is a country that can feed its 1.4 million people itself and is self-sufficient enough apart from
oil resource.”
During the panel discussion focused on digital innovation and its role in enhancing industry
efficiency and service offerings, which explored the possibilities of digital innovation in
meeting the sophisticated demands of shippers for fast, effective, predictable, and transparent
solutions; Gautam shared his expertise on the subject, highlighting the possibilities through
technology for digitalization through some use cases where CargoFlash helped its airline
customers capture new revenue opportunities including enabling an airline to cater to the
exponentially fast growing e-commerce cross border market, and how to achieve this without
any major investments on assets of infrastructure and actually using technology to control the
entire business model outsourced; thus upgrading the airline to become a ‘Virtual Integrator’.
Gautam also updated how the upcoming platform; Octoloop by Cargo Flash is going to
change the way how air cargo booking process is happening today. Octoloop is a neutral
distribution platform for both airlines and freight forwarders that provides real-time and
automated rate and route and capacity updates, as well as predictive analysis for seamless
digital cargo booking. The platform helps address one of the big pain areas of airlines, which
is the interline contract and payment settlements, through digitalizing the entire process.
Overall, Cargo Flash’s participation in the event was a great success. With their leadership
and expertise, The Team provided valuable insights into the industry and showcased the
company’s commitment to innovation and excellence. The event was a testament to the
company’s continued growth and success in the air logistics software solutions sphere.
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
