Evaporative Cooling for Agricultural Preservation: Technologies, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Postharvest food loss remains a major challenge to global food security, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions where conventional refrigeration is not feasible, either due to economic or logistical reasons or both. This review critically assesses the development, classification, performance, and prospects of evaporative cooling technologies for agricultural produce preservation. A performance gap in humid climates was identified, and technological and socio-economic barriers limiting widespread adoption are outlined. Unlike previous reviews, a comparative meta-analysis of system effectiveness across diverse environmental conditions and design types is incorporated. Also, the potential of novel desiccants such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is evaluated, and a future research roadmap focused on techno-economic modelling, environmental impact assessments, and integrated design strategies is proposed. The review concludes with practical recommendations for system optimisation and policy interventions to support smallholder adoption.