By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
About 47 per cent of Nigerian farmers lack access to storage facilities, and the figure could be as high as 60 per cent for tubers, fruits, and vegetables, according to SBM Intel, a geopolitical research and strategic communications consulting firm.
This costs the country N3.5 trillion in post-harvest loss every year as lack of proper storage facilities combines with bad roads to waste hard earned crops whose prices keep on rising, adds Onyeka Akumah, Founder and Chief Executive of Farmcrowdy.
Farm4Me has joined the two firms to advocate that post-harvest technology has to be adopted to curb the huge losses.
Farm4Me Managing Director Adamu Adamu said the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Benue State University’s Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER).
In his view, there is need for concerted efforts to restore and retain states like Benue that known as the food basket of the nation, but this cannot be done without post-harvest technology.
“For instance, Benue State, which is regarded as the food basket of the nation produces a wide range of crops ranging from grains, tubers, to fruits and vegetables but quantities of these crops are lost due to lack of adequate post-harvest technologies,” Adamu announced in a statement reported by Nairametrics.
“It is a known fact that Benue State wears the toga as the food basket of Nigeria for her vast production of wide range of crops ranging from grains, tubers, to fruits and vegetables.
“We must revive this and ensure we explore opportunities created by technology initiative to create a turnaround.”
Adamu said Agripreneurs believe that with the partnership between Farm4Me and CEFTER, harvest waste will be effectively tackled to reduce hunger and poverty.
Tor Joe Iorapuu, a Professor and Benue State University Vice Chancellor, explained that the university established CEFTER through the support of the World Bank to address some of the challenges in agriculture.
The partnership would, among other things, engage communities, farmers, and industries in the dissemination of technology to curb post-harvest losses.
They are expected to help develop well trained students for this purpose.
