The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has said Nigeria’s food security and sustainability are being undermined by post-harvest losses.

Olawumi Ayodele, director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services at FMAFS, stated this in Ibadan during a training on cassava cultivation and processing best practices. The training was organised for cassava farmers in Oyo.

Mr Ayodele said 40 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural produce is lost post-harvest through various means. He listed causes of the losses to include poor agricultural practices during planting, crop management, storage, transportation, and marketing.

“If we can drastically reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria, it will strengthen food security, enhance sustainability, and improve farmers’ earnings and livelihoods. The essence of farming is to improve farmers’ livelihoods and ensure sustained agricultural development,” he said.

Mr Ayodele said the training aimed to equip farmers with the knowledge to reduce losses and strengthen food security in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He noted that the programme would enhance farmers’ skills in cassava cultivation and discourage the use of harmful chemicals in cassava processing.

He stated that Oyo was selected for the training due to its prominence in cassava production and its significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy. According to him, the ministry is promoting food security with nutritional value, not food that endangers citizens’ health.

The FMAFS coordinator in Oyo, Adetunji Samson, urged farmers to adopt innovative agricultural practices to minimise wastage and increase income.

Mr Samson said the ministry would work with NAFDAC to educate farmers on the risks associated with using harmful storage chemicals.

The chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Oyo, Adewumi Abas, stated that the training would enable farmers to adopt standard practices in cultivation, harvesting, and marketing.

(NAN)