Farmnet, Ogun Govt. partner to reduce food losses

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development and Chairman, State Project Management Committee, Mr. Gbele Olugbebi, State Project Coordinator, Engr. Samuel A. Y. Onabanjo, Environmental Safeguard Specialist, Engr. Bayo Adekunle and S. A. Rural Development, Mr. Wale Ogunyomade at the presentation of Agro-logistic hub talk to members of the State Project Implementation Unit of OGUN RAAMP by AVM Consults in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on Wednesday

A private company, AVM Consults Limited, a parent to FARMNET is partnering with Ogun State Government to reduce food losses at the value chains of agriculture with provision of rural feeder roads for immediate evacuation of produce from the farm gate to the market. This was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Mr. Alfred Martins in Abuja.

He said that the project partnership was aimed at lifting people in Ogun state out of poverty and also ensuring wealth creation using modern technologies through agricultural value chains to increasing productivity.

 State Project Coordinator, Engr. SAY Onabanjo, Environmental Sadwfuard Specialist, Engr. Bayo Adekunle, S. A on Rural Development, Mr. Wale Ogunyomade and Infrastructural Engineer, Engr. Olakunle Olaniran

Martin who noted that the use of new technology as an enabler for value addition in the sector is inevitable for commercial agriculture added that the injection of this partnership was the only way Ogun State World Bank Rural Access And Mobility Project (RAAMP) could achieve its set objectives with delivery at the food value chains without incurring great losses to postharvest. 

 He stressed the importance of farmers adopting good agricultural practices and their produce meeting required standards, saying that access to markets could only be achieved if the processes and structures required to move, store and process these produce are in place to forestall postharvest losses presently estimated to be up to 50% .

Social Safeguard Specialist, Mr. Solomon Akindele; AVM Staff, Mr. Ugochukwu Obasi and MD\CEO, AVM Consults, Mr. Alfred Martins

A press statement issued and signed by Martins, stated that RAAMP could only be achieved with the use of agro technologies to drastically reduce wastages and losses being incurred along the food value chains, hence the Ogun state government’s engagement of Farmnet to proffer solution using its expert knowledge on wastages to mitigate postharvest losses using improved technologies and best agronomics transfer to farmers and processors is well commended.

Ogun RAAMP Auditor, Mrs. Susan Adeniran; Agro-logistic Specialist, Mrs. Funmi Beckly and Social Safeguard Specialist, Mr. Solomon Akindele

It explained that Agro Logistics Value chain consists of key components for the mitigation of post-harvest loss. Improving the logistics infrastructure (technology, infrastructure, logistics management, people and policy), improving quality management and accelerating  and  supporting collaborative initiatives and increasing investments to reduces post-harvest loss are key areas of FarmNet intervention identified by AVM consults Limited adding that the FarmNet Model brings everything together and makes stakeholders operate within defined standards.

The statement reported the Special Assistant  to Ogun State Governor on Rural Development, Mr. Adewale Ogunyo made, as saying that  Ogun RAAMP team have been saddled with the responsibility of developing a working Agro Logistics framework that brings all relevant stakeholders on board and the state is already working on construction of new roads that would lead to farms, Agro Logistics hubs and processing centers and that the project team members were all working round the clock to deliver on its terms of reference.