Encourage the service of post harvest officer in agriculture, NIFST advises FG

The Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) has advised the Federal Government to exploit the services of post-harvest officers in achieving food sufficiency in the country.

The National President of the institute, Mr. Chijioke Osuji, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Osuji described post-harvest officers as “agriculture specialists who guide farmers on the kind of crops to plant and the fertiliser or chemicals that suit a particular crop to be cultivated or soil for planting.

If government gives adequate recognition to post-harvest agriculture specialists, it will not only create more job opportunity but can also lead to attainment of food sufficiency in the country.

With these officers, the safety of harvested crops for consumption both at home and for export will be guaranteed.

Nigeria must encourage the post-harvest officer because of his expertise in the processing, high treatment, storage and preservation value chain ladder, especially on foods mean for export.

They also help to sensitise and encourage farmers to meet international standard.’’

He noted that the services of post-harvest officers “brings about the reduction of post-harvest loss and expansion of market access related activities.’’

NAN reports that NIFST is the only registered non-profit making body representing food professionals drawn from the academia, industries, and government and research institutes in Nigeria.

Its aims to harness the abundance of talents, knowledge and skills, among food professionals in Nigeria toward food sufficiency and good nutrition of the masses.