The Director of Teaching and Research Farms at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Markudi, Prof. Felix Ugese, has revealed that Nigeria incurs post-harvest losses amounting to $9 billion annually.
Speaking at the 2024 Agroween Festival in Lagos, organized by the Intergenerational Rescue Foundation in collaboration with Yaba College of Technology, Ugese emphasized that value addition is key to mitigating these losses.
“Value addition not only increases returns but also significantly reduces post-harvest losses. Currently, about 50% of what we produce goes to waste. This costs Nigeria over $9 billion annually, far exceeding the African average of $4 billion,” he stated.
He warned that Nigeria’s growing population, projected to hit 400 million by 2025, poses a significant threat to food security. At the current level of food production, he explained, the country cannot meet the demands of its population, which could lead to an increase in the number of starving Nigerians.
He noted that 25 million people currently require food assistance, a figure expected to rise to 33 million by next year if drastic measures are not taken.
Ugese called for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector to tackle the challenges.
He also urged the government to implement policies promoting access to affordable funding and increase the ratio of extension workers to farmers.
He noted that Nigeria has the lowest ratio of extension agents to farmers in Africa, with one agent serving 10,000 farmers, compared to other African countries with one agent for 1,200 farmers.
He emphasized the importance of research and development tailored to Nigeria’s unique challenges, adding that the country cannot rely solely on solutions from other nations.
However, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Ibtaheem Abdul, also highlighted the importance of innovation in addressing food insecurity.
He commended the partnership between Yabatech and the Intergenerational Rescue Foundation, noting that the collaboration aims to create innovative opportunities, consolidate revenue, and secure funding to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
“This event demonstrates the transformative potential of agriculture for economic growth. We must embrace innovative approaches to achieve effective results,” Abdul said.