Farm4Me, pioneer of contract farming in Nigeria has signed a deal with a food technology centre to foster food processing innovations in the country.
The renowned agritech firm signed the memorandum of understanding with the Centre for Food Technology and Research Centre, Benue State University, Makurdi on Thursday.
The World Health Organization, WHO, estimates that 3 million farmers in developing countries experience food poisoning from pesticides and about 18,000 deaths are recorded yearly.
Contaminated food contributes to 1.5 billion cases of diarrhoea resulting in 3 million deaths of children yearly.
It has also been established that huge quantities of these crops are lost due to lack of adequate post-harvest technologies.
It is on this backdrop that Farm4me and Benue State University’s Center for Food Technology and Research, CEFTER, are collaborating to tackle post-harvest food losses and boost food security in Nigeria.
CEFTER, which was recently accorded the status of African Centre of Excellence (ACE) by the World Bank is saddled with the responsibility of equiping Nigerian and indeed African teachers and researchers with adequate facilities to be able to utilize multidisciplinary approaches to embark on high capacity building through teaching, conduct of cutting edge research and promotion of active outreach programmes to address post-harvest food losses.
Speaking during the event, Prof. Iorapuu, the Vice Chancellor of Benue State University, expressed optimism that the partnership will surely help to empower African Researchers to identify technologies that will reduce post-harvest losses.
According to Prof. Iorapuu, post-harvest losses constitute the major factor contributing to food insecurity in Sub-Sahara Africa but are often overlooked.
He said CEFTER arms are always open to welcoming ideas that could help in enhancing agricultural productivity and industrial output for the socio-economic advancement of Nigeria and Africa.
On his part, Godwin Ekoja, Head of Strategic Planning and Partnership for Farm4Me, described the MoU as a boost to the agricultural sector.
Ekoja, who stood in for the CEO, Adama Joseph Adama, said that Farm4Me, would not relent on its oars in providing innovative solutions in modern agriculture by leveraging technology.
Similarly, Honorable Kenneth Iyo, the Group Executive Director, Administration of Enadama Group, who led the Farm4Me team to Benue State University for the MoU signing ceremony, said he optimistic that “Benue’s lost glory will be restored as the food basket state and shall feed Nigeria again. It is a strategic partnership to reduce hunger and poverty in Nigeria.”
The Director of the Centre, Dr Barnabas Ikyo, who also spoke at the event, said in the coming months, said the partnership will bring about amazing solutions to post harvest losses and food processing innovations in Nigeria.
