Nigeria to tackle ₦3.5trn annual post-harvest losses with systems programme

Federal Government, has unveiled efforts to boost food production and preservation through the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme, NiPHaST, to tackle ₦3.5 trillion annual post-harvest losses.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen Abubakar Kyari, said this at the Nigeria Legacy Programme, organized by the Africa Food Systems Forum in Partnership with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA, in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Kyari said in a statement issued by the Ministry, that NiPHaST unveiling became imperative to ensure a resilient, efficient, and inclusive post-harvest handling and storage system that reduces losses, enhance incomes as well as achieve food sovereignty. According to him, NiPHaST would stabilize food prices, ensure availability, accessibility, affordability of stable food, improve storage system as well as achieve national food sovereignty. He also highlighted that the Programme basically would focus on household storage technologies, community-level warehouses, cold rooms, and strategic national silos managed through public–private partnerships, and among others.
He expressed optimism that the Programme would create robust investment in the storage value chain in terms of processing, preservation, packaging, marketing, climate, smart metal Silos, cold rooms, and among others. He added that the initiative would unlock private sector investment, strengthen market confidence, and expand storage infrastructure. He said that it also improves agricultural exports, nutrition, household sales, job opportunities, farmer’s income, and wealth as well as achieved food import substitution in the agricultural ecosystem.  He said that Nigeria loses an estimated ₦3.5 trillion annually to post-harvest inefficiencies, largely affecting smallholder farmers. In attendance were Jigawa State Governor, Mal. Umar Namadi; Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness; Dr Kingsley Uzoma; Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Development Fund, NADF, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim; and President, Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, and among others. He said “this is not just produce going to waste. It is opportunity lost and livelihoods destroyed.” Meanwhile, he called for stronger international collaboration, stressing that transforming post-harvest systems will secure farmer livelihoods, revive agribusiness confidence, and position Nigeria as a leading food supplier in West Africa