Nigeria loses 40% of fruits, vegetables harvests yearly, says Don

A Professor of Food Science and Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Dr. Gregory Onwuka has disclosed that over 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables harvested in Nigeria yearly get destroyed before they get to the market.

He disclosed this while delivering the university’s 35th inaugural lecture titled: “Food Wastes In The Harness: The Cyclic Journey of Food, Security, Better Nutrition and Good Health,” noting that the said harvests were mostly produced by local farmers who do not have the means or technology to preserve them.

As solution, he suggested development of a cheaper technology that will be accessible to local farmers.

According to him, wastes arising from food preparations and processing carry enormous essential nutrients required for healthy living and when wastes are left untapped to fortify foods, the outcome could be very disastrous.

He therefore recommended the recycling of food wastes, saying it is the only credible option towards better nutrition and good health, as it is extremely difficult in the country, to observe the use of food pyramids as done in the western world.