The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, said that the Federal Government has provided the private sector access to 17 silos with a total storage capacity of 6,000 metric tons in an effort to combat post-harvest losses of food produced in the nation.
Abubakar stated this in Lagos while speaking at the Second West and Central Africa Post-Harvest Congress and Exhibition (WCAPHCE), noting that the concession of silo facilities was to enable local farmers to have access to storage facilities.
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government has established green aggregation centers that will clean, dry, process, and bag finished products, adding that this is part of the strategy the government is working on to ensure food security for Nigeria and, by extension, Africa.
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According to him, the revolution in the agriculture sector has improved the country’s capacity and efficiency in increasing and maximizing production and post-harvest losses, citing how the Russia-Ukraine war has compelled many economies to carry out reforms and re-adjust policies to cope with the challenges posed by the conflict.
He lamented that over 30 percent of the food produced in Nigeria every year is challenged by post-harvest losses due to inadequate storage facilities, transportation, and lack of equipment, noting that it is the responsibility of the government to provide an enabling environment for the private sector to drive the economy.
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“The major problem being faced by farmers in the country is post-harvest losses as a result of transportation, a lack of equipment that can add value to what is produced, and a lack of storage facilities.”
“The non-oil sector remains the future of our economy, and I hope successive governments will consolidate on the gains we have recorded under my leadership.” He said
