HOW NIGERIA CAN PREVENT ITS ANNUAL N3.5 TRILLION POST-HARVEST LOSSES.

 

HOW NIGERIA CAN PREVENT ITS ANNUAL N3.5 TRILLION POST-HARVEST LOSSES.Nigeria has good agricultural potential but is not living up to expectations. The country houses an enormous human capital, most of whom are young, and arable land, with only 41 per cent cultivated yet. From one end, the country’s agricultural prowess and feats are laudable. 

Nigeria is a top global exporter of agricultural production, such as palm oil, sorghum, sesame, cocoa beans, oil, fruits, nuts, and seeds. The Federal Government recently disclosed that the total cost of post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s agriculture industry is N3.5 trillion. 

Yes, a whooping N3.5 trillion. Speaking on behalf of the FG, Mustapha Shehuri, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, “Post-harvest losses is a worrisome situation that threatens Nigeria’s Food Security … In fruits and vegetables, it could be as high as 50 – 60 per cent if poorly managed, unfortunately not much attention is paid to address this problem as it is done for production,” 

 This is too much loss for a country where agriculture is a core contributor to its GDP and has a projected population of 400 million. In that light, there is an urgent need to prevent people from going hungry, support farmers from losing monetary gains, and reduce our dependence on foreign products. 

 These can only be achieved through a couple of actions, the first being to make provisions for good storage facilities. While agricultural products are perishable, their production is usually seasonal, mainly because farmers in this part of the world rely on rain-fed agriculture. But, regardless of the perishable or seasonal nature of produce, the demand for food is not seasonal. In Nigeria, about 47 per cent of farmers have zero access to any storage facilities to shield them from post-harvest loss. The number could rise up to as high as 60 per cent for tubers, fruits and vegetables. 

The provision and revitalization of efficient storage facilities, whether on an industrial or small-scale, is essential in mitigating post-harvest loss.