Nigeria loses N3.5 trillion annually to post-harvest waste, with 50 percent of agricultural produce never reaching consumers, according to food and agriculture (FAO).
The nation loses an average of 526 million tons of food annually.
Experts say poor or low-quality storage facilities, bad roads and lack of market access are major contributors to post-harvest losses in Africa’s most populous nation.
These challenges, coupled with underinvestment in preservation technology, exacerbate food waste.
Analysts argue that 30 percent of food production is lost every year due to lack of cold chains.
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“Reducing post-harvest losses will help Nigeria increase its food supply without necessarily raising its production,” said AfricanFarmer Mogaji, former head of agribusiness, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“We are experiencing a food crisis with surging hunger levels, and tackling our huge post-harvest losses is critical in addressing these issues,” Mogaji, who is the chief executive officer of X-ray Consulting Limited, further said.
In countries like Bangladesh, Benin, and India, losses are similarly severe, with Sub-Saharan Africa reporting 42 percent losses across crops.
Global reports on post-harvest losses
Global post-harvest losses range from 28 percent to 55 percent, with low and middle-income countries most affected, according to the FAO.
Losses occur during harvesting, threshing, storage, transportation, processing, and marketing, often due to pests, fungi, and bacteria.
In food-insecure areas, 20 percent of grains, 44 percent of roots, and 52 percent of fruits and vegetables are lost before consumption.
The FAO highlights severe losses in Bangladesh (24 percent-44 percent of fruits and vegetables), Benin (85 percent of vegetables), and India (98 percent of bananas), with Sub-Saharan Africa experiencing around 42 percent losses across crops. Nigeria’s post-harvest losses on fruits and vegetables are estimated at 30 to 50 percent.
“If we’re able to tackle the high volume of food losses, naturally it would have positive implications on food prices and supply,” said Ololade Enikuomehin, a professor of plant pathology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Economic implications of post-harvest losses
Post-harvest losses have economic implications on both farmers, consumers and marketers.
Consumers may face higher food prices and poor nutrition, resulting in increased spending to meet their nutritional needs.
On the other hand, farmers and marketers may face reduced profits and low revenue generation. Scarcity and food shortage are also key drivers of food inflation.
Strategies for reducing post-harvest losses
Experts say improving infrastructure such as roads and storage facilities is essential to reducing post-harvest losses in Nigeria.
They add that Nigeria can cut down its post-harvest losses with the adoption of an effective cold chain.
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“Cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. It is an unbroken storage chain that involves a series of regulated production, storage, and distribution activities, along with associated equipment and logistics which maintain a desired low-temperature range across the system,” Augustine Okoruwa, regional programme manager, Helen Keller International, said during a recent Propak West Africa 2024 session in Lagos.
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), “Farmers are less willing to invest in equipment and activities that can reduce their food losses if they cannot make a profit. Linking producers to markets means they have a steady stream of buyers while reducing food loss.”
IFAD revealed that most grain losses occur during storage due to improper drying, leading to mould damage. It noted that “helping farmers acquire drying equipment—from simple tarpaulins to shelters that protect from the rain—is key to reducing food losses.”
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