Editorial- Reversing post harvest losses

Reversing post harvest losses

The rate of post harvest losses among farmers across the country calls for concern. A visit to various food markets and even farms attests to this facts. It has been estimated that about 60 percent of produce ends up being wasted.  This a critical issue more so when Nigerians are crying of hunger.

 Today, bulk of the profit of farmers’ produce are lost to post harvest challenges yearly, and there seems to be no solution at sight and fear of spoilage made our farmers to sell their produce at a very give away prices after losses incurred during harvesting on the farms.

President Mohammadu Buhari  at a function in  Yenagoa when speaking during the Agip Oil Company Farmers’ Day said that Nigeria loses $9 billion annually to post harvest challenges which by implication cut across all the agricultural produce be it livestock, food crops, fruits and vegetables without any tangible solution at sight with the way things are going. 

However, many are of the contrary view saying there are other vital factors like rural roads for evacuation to processing centres, lack of electricity for processing into capacity, substandard processing equipment and manpower for the operation and maintenance of these machines.

The question is what do you do to change the situation? This is imperative because effecting the necessary changes would create jobs, make food available for our growing population, and provide foreign exchange for our use with farmers becoming happier through higher income earnings.

In tackling the problem, a committee of experts that will work in conjunction with the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin should be constituted to take a wholesome look at the problem and proffer solutions.

 In addition to this, efforts must be made to make roads in rural areas, bring power supply close to the farmers in order to enhance cold storage of produce and processing of the produce.

We cannot pretend to ignore the fact that wastages is part of the reason we are importing to meet up with the short fall of food requirement, and the time has come that all what it takes must be given to ensure the operation of the cottage industry to full capacity in its locations.

As food import is being controlled passing  through the seaport, the proceed of this traffic must be well deployed to the development of the processing facilities just as  financial assistance of the Bank of Industry must be intensified to meeting processors need.