Feed Nigeria Summit to proffer solution to curb post-harvest losses — Stakeholder

The Director General of Feed Nigeria Summit Secretariat Richard Mbaram has said that it is disheartening that Nigeria looses about 40 to 50 per cent of crops produced by farmers.

Mbaram said that inadequate storage facilities have been a contributory factor to this ugly situation which is currently impeding the growth of the agricultural sector.

He disclosed this on Wednesday during a joint press briefing with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

“We are told that we waste or lose between 40 to 50 percent of what is produced particularly as it perishables.

“If you look critically, the grains are also affected because the actions of microbes and all the fungi bring about the challenges we have around storage facilities”, he said.

Mbaram said mycotoxins affects grains, making it impossible for anyone to consume or export, because most of the grains are viable for export, processing and feeding production.

“We understand that the activities of mycotoxins occasions health challenges both for humans and animals that consume them.

“We have shortfall in production, demands are not being met by the suppliers from the local setting, so we have to import, now we don’t even have the option of import because the target exporting countries have to manage their realities and no long in a position to export”, he added.

He therefore, said that the Feed Nigeria Summit will galvanise stakeholders in the agricultural sector to chart way forward on how to address the challenges of proper food storage which he said would reduce post-harvest losses.

Mbaram further stated that the summit will have in attendance Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, the Minister of Agriculture of and Rural Development, Dr Muhammad Abubakar and the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing.

He said the Feed Nigeria Summit will also focus how to recalibrate the Nigerian economy using the advantages the agricultural sector and agribusiness ecosystem provides.

Mbaram said the Summit will be engaging stakeholders at the the Deal Room with which will be in partnership with the USAID Feed The Future.

He said the Deal Room will also have key partners like African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), the United Kingdom Department for International Trade.

Mbaram explained that the deal room will present opportunities for farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector to exchange ideas and proffer solutions on how to solve some challenges facing the sector.