
While about $200m are lost globally to post harvest losses of agricultural commodities, 10 per cent of the losses incurred in the sector in Nigeria is within the region of N5b.
The Executive Director, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Kwara State, Prof. Lateef Sanni, who disclosed this during a 5-day training programme, titled: skills acquisition for corps members on value addition to agricultural commodities in Kwara State, sponsored by Synergy Impact Consultants Limited, said the effects of post harvest losses in the country is contributing to high cost of agricultural commodities.
“Why? Because the little we have cannot service over 230 million people. But if we can reduce the post-harvest losses, even by 25 per cent, nobody would be saying there are high prices of commodities. By that, every one, in all parts of the country will have intermediate product that could be saved for some days before you process them.”
During the training, the NSPRI presented N2m grant to a serving corps member, Miss Zainab Adam, who engaged in smoked fish business activity, as the winner of the 2023 grant award.
During the training for 50 selected corps members in the state, the executive director also said the post harvest losses reduction would reduce loss of income among farmers and agricultural processors.
“Economically, there will be reduction in loss of income, and farmers, processors, loaders, off-loaders etc would have more money. This is talking about products that can be stored for months and transported across long distance.
“Also, there is going to be employment opportunities. If we can reduce post harvest losses, the implication is that there’s going to be a natural flock of youth that will surround peri-urban environment for storage, and post harvest haulage activities. It will create that traffic to that environment.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, who commended the NSPRI for teaching the corps members skills on value addition, post harvest losses and presentation of grants, said the organisation’s efforts would go a long way to propel the corps members to fortune in their future engagement, adding that it could also transform agricultural landscape in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the NYSC State Director, Onifade Joshua, a director in the scheme, Mrs. Omolabake Adeniyi, said the 50 corps members were selected among a total number of 8,000, advising the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity maximally.