Nigeria faces an alarming annual loss of N3.5 trillion due to post-harvest crises, said the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON).
The figure was disclosed in a joint communiqué presented in Abuja by SWOFON, GIZ Global Programme AgSys Nigeria, ActionAid Nigeria, ActionAid International, and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) after a three-day training programme on policy advocacy and innovation for smallholder women farmers.
SWOFON’s National President, Hajiya Fatima Bello-Gummi, and National Secretary, Mrs Chinasa Asonye, revealed that the losses amount to approximately N94.5 billion annually per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) if distributed equally.
They lamented that no state’s agricultural budget comes close to matching these massive losses.
“This is far beyond the annual agricultural budgets of the 36 states and FCT. Post-harvest losses remain a significant challenge for smallholder farmers, particularly women, devastating our efforts and incomes while perpetuating poverty and hindering Nigeria’s food and nutrition security,” they said.
Participants at the event, including state coordinators and representatives from across the country, emphasised that these losses translate to about 50% of production and income losses for smallholder farming families.
They urged urgent government intervention to address the issue, warning that without immediate action, Nigeria’s ambition to achieve food and nutrition security would remain out of reach.
Participants called for improved investment in post-harvest infrastructure, training, and support for smallholder farmers to mitigate losses and ensure sustainable agricultural growth.
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