Experts rally for smart, immediate action to address Nigeria’s post-harvest nightmares

Onome Amuge

As Nigerians grapple with a rapidly shrinking wallet, a fresh report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has illuminated the harsh realities of food inflation in Nigeria, heightening experts’ concerns about the alarming downward spiral of purchasing power among the nation’s residents. While the country battles the dual challenges of income inequality and a changing climate’s devastating effects on food prices, the people of Nigeria bear the brunt of this burden, facing ever-increasing costs for essential food items.

The never-ending nightmare of food inflation in Nigeria took a turn for the worse in March 2024, with food inflation rates skyrocketing to  40.01 per cent. The  15.56 per cent surge from last year’s March rate of 24.45 per cent underscores a deepening crisis of affordability, as Nigerians find themselves priced out of essential food items more than ever before.

Nigeria also finds itself battling a monumental struggle with post-harvest losses. Despite the country’s rich agricultural potential, an estimated 40 per cent of its yearly harvest, which includes essential staples like cassava, maize, and yams, is tragically lost due to insufficient storage and transportation infrastructure. This devastating waste, a harsh reminder of the country’s long-standing neglect of critical infrastructure, has now become a significant obstacle to food security, contributing to skyrocketing prices and deepening poverty, particularly among the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security identified the post-harvest issue  at the 6th West African Cold Chain Summit held recently, in Lagos, noting that the  alarming statistic represents not only a substantial economic loss to  farmers but also poses a grave threat to food security and nutrition in the country.

“Nigeria, like many other West African nations, grapples with significant post-harvest losses, exacerbated by inadequate cold chain facilities and inefficient supply chain systems,” he stated.

Kyari’s message on post-harvest losses was echoed by his representative, Zuburat Mahmud, who pointed out that the survival of Nigeria’s food security hinges on the critical components of cold chain infrastructure: refrigeration, transportation, and storage facilities.

While noting that there is a need to redouble  efforts to bridge existing infrastructure gaps, the minister said the  journey towards achieving a resilient and inclusive cold chain ecosystem still has a long way to go.

Lateef Sanni, a professor and Executive Director at the Nigerian Stored Produce Research Institute (NSPR), reinforced the vital role of cold chain infrastructure in mitigating the  devastating post-harvest losses that threaten Nigeria’s food security. Sanni’s comments highlighted the need for urgent investment in approximately 300 cold chain hubs across the country, a figure which would mark a significant step towards minimizing post-harvest losses and bolstering the country’s ability to maintain food availability and affordability, particularly in the face of growing population pressures.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Lateef Sanni, executive director of the Nigerian Stored Produce Research Institute (NSPRI), underscored the significance of cold chain infrastructure in solving the pressing issue of post-harvest losses, which plague Nigeria’s food security. He also highlighted the dire need for an immediate investment in storage facilities and cold chain hubs across the nation, calling for a united front against the severe food wastage that has caused an estimated 40 per cent loss of produce every year.

Sanni underscored the pressing necessity of cold chain infrastructure across Nigeria, insisting that no fewer than 300 such facilities were needed throughout the nation’s 774 local government areas. He also pointed out the critical importance of establishing at least 10 cold chain hubs in each local government area, noting that the current number of hubs, which is less than 10 in total, represented an insufficient fraction of the necessary infrastructure.

He stated: “We have 774 local government areas in this country, and we need nothing less than 10 cold chain

hubs in each local government of this country.

“We have less than 10 that are just springing up and being supported by donor agencies and development partners from Germany and Switzerland.

“I am calling on the private sector to take advantage of that opportunity and invest in these cold chain hubs to reduce our post-harvest losses.

“That is my own drive now; my drive is private sector driven to reduce post-harvest losses from 40 per cent on our agricultural produce to the barest minimum.”

The executive director of the Nigerian Stored Produce Research Institute , highlighted the urgent necessity for collaboration and partnership between research institutions to solve Nigeria’s food security crisis. Sanni noted that the challenge of post-harvest losses and food insecurity could not

be solved by a single institution and would instead require a concerted effort from a diverse range of institutions with expertise in agricultural production, cold chain infrastructure, storage, and distribution.

The recently concluded “1st Post-harvest Connect Conference and Exhibition” provided a crucial platform for stakeholders in the agricultural sector to engage in a frank discussion about the  future of post-harvest management in Nigeria. The event, themed “Scaling Appropriate Post-harvest Solutions for Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security,” saw participants from a variety of backgrounds call for increased government and private investment in technology and infrastructure to address the country’s post-harvest management challenges.

In a call to action, Canisius Kanangire, the executive director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), urged for a significant increase in investments into post-harvest management, highlighting the vital role it plays in addressing the pressing challenges faced by smallholder farmers on the continent.

Sharing his insights into the dire situation of post-harvest losses in Nigeria, Kanangire, represented by Emmanuel Okogbenin,a senior AATF official, highlighted the tremendous revenue lost by the country due to post-harvest challenges.

Kanangire urged research institutes and investors to collaborate and strengthen their technology transfer delivery processes in order to ensure that smallholder farmers receive the necessary support and innovative technologies to improve post-harvest management. He added that such technological innovations must consider the financial constraints often faced by farmers in the country.

“Farmers in Africa will become globally competitive through the use of the best technology, optimal agricultural practices, strategic product value addition, and boosted access to efficient markets within and outside Africa,” he said.