The ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) and the CAADP Non-State Actors Group (CNG) have urged the federal government, to take action on post-harvest loss, which has risen to N3.5trn annually.
They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a post-harvest loss reduction meeting in Nigeria.
A member of SWOFON, Wakilat Oyiza Okeyi; Policy and Advocacy Manager, One Campaign, Rasaq Fatai; a member of SWOFON, Ogedengbe Olabisi Elizabeth; and Food and Agriculture Program Coordinator, AAN, Mr. Azubuike Nwokoye, at the briefing also decried the rising cost of stable foods that worsen food insecurity.
“With President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on the food security situation in the country in July 2023, one of the key areas for quick wins and results for our food and nutrition security is to focus on reducing our alarming post-harvest losses.
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“Post-harvest losses are one of the foremost challenges faced by smallholder farmers, especially women in communities in Nigeria.
It devastates our efforts and incomes, leaving us poorer and continues to hinder Nigeria’s food and nutrition security.
“Nigeria’s postharvest losses, which is estimated to be N3.5trn annually, means about N94.5bn annual losses per 36 states and the FCT if shared equally. No state’s annual agriculture budget equals these massive losses. This is far more than each state and FCT’s annual agriculture budgetary allocation and spending,” they said.
“Our mission is to establish a sustainable endowment fund focused on supporting educational opportunities for the less privileged,” she said.
