A Professor of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Faith Ibrahim, has urged the Federal Government to invest in and subsidize cold-chain infrastructure for local farmers to tackle post-harvest losses.
Ibrahim, of the School of Agricultural Management and Extension Technology at Federal University of Technology Minna, made the call in an interview with reporters on Friday in Lagos.
She decried the near non-existence of cold-chain infrastructure in the country and appealed for government intervention to reduce post-harvest losses.
“Cold-chain infrastructure is virtually non-existent beyond major cities here in Nigeria.
“We need decentralized solar-powered cold rooms at collection points, mobile refrigerated transport units, and cold storage hubs at wholesale markets to holistically address the post-harvest losses we currently face.
“The government needs to subsidize cold-chain infrastructure, and making refrigeration affordable for smallholder associations should also be considered to address these challenges,” Ibrahim said.
She noted that the availability of cold-chain infrastructure would help preserve high-value perishable crops.
“When we prioritize the preservation of high-value perishable crops like tomatoes and peppers, among others, we will be able to reduce losses in the sector caused by post-harvest deficits.
“If we start with high-value crops like tomatoes, peppers, and leafy vegetables, where losses exceed 50 per cent, we can significantly cut losses in the sector.
“This is a critical area to push for the establishment of cold rooms and cold storage points that will extend the shelf life of these perishables.
“It is expected that the government and even the private sector can pursue partnerships with technology providers offering pay-as-you-go cold storage solutions.
“We also need to provide training and retraining programmes on cold-chain management, and standardized temperature protocols for different crops should be communicated across the cold storage business network,” she said.
