The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has collaborated with the Nigeria Stored Product Research Institute (NSPRI) to organize a four- day training program across states of the South-South and South- East geopolitical zones of the country for selected staff of the Agricultural Development Projects (ADP).
The Executive Director of NSPRI, Dr. Mrs. Patricia Pessu, while addressing participants at the four-day training program in Sapele, Delta State, noted that the program was aimed to equip ADP staff with knowledge on post-harvest management to influence farmers in the rural areas.
NSPRI was established in 1948 as a West African Stored Products Research Unit (WASPRU) during the colonial era of the country to assess the quality of exportable crops to the United Kingdom from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia.
It became Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute after the independence in 1960 with the mandate of carrying out research into the bulk storage problem of export commodities and local food crops.
Dr. Pessu added that post-harvest losses have a significant effect on the economy and that the institute will use the platform as an opportunity to disseminate information and share their experiences as well as achievements on post-harvest management to reduce post-harvest losses.
“losses on grains such as maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea is between 20%, 25%, and 30% in root and tuber crops such as yam, cassava and potatoes while about 50% of fruits and vegetables are lost post-harvest. Unfortunately, these losses are from the rural areas that are in dire need of development”.
“As we know, post-harvest has not been in the forefront of their roles and we, having the mandate to conduct research on post-harvest losses, decided as part of our 2021 project to get the ADPs on board, realizing their importance at their grassroots”.
