The Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme (BSADP) has expressed concern over the rising rate of post-harvest losses among farmers.

Rafilawus Iliya, the director of agricultural technical services at BSADP, stated this in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Bauchi.

Mr Iliya said that poor handling practices continued to undermine farmers’ hard-earned gains, resulting in significant annual losses.

He noted that many farmers lose a substantial portion of their produce annually due to carelessness and failure to follow proper post-harvest procedures.

According to him, post-harvest activities, from harvesting to processing and storage, play a crucial role in determining how much of a farmer’s effort translates into actual yield.

“Unfortunately, many farmers lose up to a third of their crops because of poor practices,” he said.

He identified the inability of farmers to determine the correct maturity stage of crops as a major cause of loss.

“Most farmers still rely on guesswork to decide when to harvest. Without checking moisture content, they store crops that are not ready, leading to rot and spoilage,” he explained.

Mr Iliya added that using blunt or poorly maintained harvesting tools often causes grains to scatter or spill in the field, a factor frequently overlooked but contributing to high wastage.

He said substantial losses also occur during transportation, as rickety vehicles drop large quantities of produce en route to storage or markets.

“Many farmers would be shocked if they knew how much produce is lost between the farm and the store,” he lamented.

The director warned that the cumulative effect of these losses posed a serious threat to food security and farmers’ income.

He urged farmers to adopt standard post-harvest handling methods, including proper drying of crops for 24 to 72 hours, depending on the type, using the right tools, and maintaining clean storage conditions.

“With simple practices such as checking grain moisture and ensuring proper drying, farmers can save a large portion of what they currently lose,” he advised.