Nigeria Battles Agricultural Wastage, Loses 40-percent of Food Production

KEY POINTS

• Nigeria loses 40% of its food production annually due to poor storage and logistics.
• Over 50% of tomatoes spoil before reaching the market, despite high production capacity.
• Investments in cold storage and modern infrastructure are critical to reducing food wastage.

The agricultural sector in Nigeria holds promising potential but food wastage is one of the major challenges stopping it from flourishing.

According to a report released by Premium Times, over 70 per cent of Nigerian households were estimated to be involved in agricultural activities as of 2022. The survey also added that there are 40.2 million agricultural households in the country.

Despite this huge number, Nigeria still suffers from food insecurity because of high post-harvest losses. According to the World Bank, Nigeria loses and wastes 40 per cent of its total food production each year. 

This is mainly due to poor storage facilities, inadequate transportation, and inefficient distribution channels. Food wastage does not just contribute to food insecurity but also hinders economic growth.

Impact on the tomato industry

The tomato industry feels the heat of food losses more. Despite Nigeria being one of the largest producers of tomatoes, the nation still imports tomato paste, spending $400 million to $500 million every year.

How can a nation that has the production capacity to export tomato paste not have enough to feed its own people?

This is because Nigeria loses over 50% of its tomato produce to spoilage before it even gets to the market.

One of the key drivers of these losses is the lack of modern storage facilities. A large portion of the country’s agricultural production happens in the northern part of the country.

However, it has been observed that the majority of the farmers in the North largely depend on traditional methods to store their crops.

This is a huge disadvantage as we can see. Food products like tomatoes, fruits, and vegetables need access to cold chain infrastructure.

Solutions and government actions

A 2022 research paper published on ResearchGate shows that Nigeria could reduce post-harvest losses by investing in infrastructure, such as a cold storage facility, and modern silos.

There is a need for the government to take urgent actions to battle food wastage. President Bola Tinubu made a promise in February to drive an aggressive mechanisation strategy to improve food production. He also declared a state of emergency on food insecurity.

Part of the plan includes: Cultivating 500,000 hectares of farmland, releasing fertilisers to farmers and grains to households.

The plan has not yet featured investment in sophisticated storage facilities, which is the most important tool for curtailing food wastage.

The government also needs to focus on promoting agro-processing industries, and also encourage the adoption of modern farming techniques by providing aid and education to farmers.

There should also be a commitment to removing the transportation barriers from rural areas to urban centres. Logistics challenges also contribute to food wastage.

The issue of food wastage is a very serious one. Nigerians are currently struggling with high food costs. Many of them can barely eat.

The World Food Programme in its 2024 forecast report on Nigeria projected that 26.5 million Nigerians will face acute hunger. This calls for immediate action from the government and other stakeholders in the agricultural industries.