Some people involved in farming and selling food in Lagos State have asked the government to build warehouses and storage centers. They believe this will help preserve their produce and stop it from going bad.
In interviews with journalists in Lagos, the farmers and traders said a lot of food gets wasted because there are no good ways to keep it fresh.
It is important to note that in 2018, the United Nations declared September 29 as the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste. The goal is to find ways to reduce food waste around the world.
This day also supports efforts to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to cut global food waste in half and reduce losses in the food supply chain by 2030.
Mr. Hafiz Tiamiyu, head of the Tomato Dadi Louis Community in Iworo, Badagry, said that building a tomato hub and providing seedlings would help stop waste and losses.
Tiamiyu shared that in 2023, his community lost more than N20 million because their farm produce went bad due to poor storage.
He added that if the government built a seedling center, farmers wouldn’t have to travel far to get tomato seedlings for planting.
Mr. Sunday Ajilo, a leader in the Epe Fish Market, said that many fishermen and traders lose money because their fish spoils after harvesting, due to lack of preservation.
Mrs. Iyabo Adegoke, the market leader (Iyaloja) of Aiyetoro Market in Epe, said there is an urgent need for better storage facilities. She noted that poor storage is one of the main reasons perishable goods get wasted.
Mr. Tunde Hunpatin, coordinator of the Agbalata Coconut Market in Badagry, asked the government to build machines and warehouses to help preserve coconuts.
He said this would make the coconuts taste better and reduce waste. He pointed out that in Ghana, they use machines to preserve coconuts, which makes them taste sweeter than the ones in Badagry.
Mr. Akinloye Oladejo, a market leader in Ojokoro LCDA, said food spoilage affects their profits every year.
He asked the government to provide facilities that would keep food fresh longer and stop it from going bad too quickly.
Mr. Muideen Azeez, a market official in Idi Oro Alamutu Market, Mushin, said that unstable electricity is a major reason food can’t be preserved properly.
He mentioned that a modern market is being built in Idi Oro and will include facilities to preserve food and fruits.
He also asked the government to set up a cold room that can store different types of food and fruits.
Azeez explained that when there’s no steady power, perishable food like fruits and vegetables go bad quickly.
He also urged the Lagos State Government to speed up the building of the new market in Mushin, which will include better storage systems.
He said the high cost of transport, combined with food spoiling so quickly, discourages traders.
Azeez shared that out of 12 dozen plantain bunches, two dozen went bad because they didn’t have proper storage.
He appealed to the government to help traders set up storage facilities to reduce food waste.
A nutritionist, Mrs. Tinuola Bakare, advised people to develop good eating and buying habits. She said buying too much food often leads to waste.
She added that reducing food waste will improve food security and help farmers and traders earn more.
Mr. Abdul Mohammed, General Secretary of Mile 12 Market, said that lack of storage and preservation is the main cause of food waste in the market.
He noted that food prices are currently high because of the rainy season and said farmers still use outdated ways to store food.
He explained that it’s time for farmers to start using modern storage methods, but they can’t do it alone and need support.
A visit to Mile 12 market showed a truck parked near the traders’ union office, filled with rotting onions. The smell was so strong that people walking by had to cover their noses.
The truck was still waiting to be offloaded, but half of the onions were already spoiled.
Mohammed explained that the onions were bought by the Borno State government through an agricultural program. If it hadn’t been a government project, the loss would have been on the farmers.
He said farming can be profitable, but it is very unpredictable.
According to him, one big cause of food waste is weather. Fruits like tomatoes, potatoes, and onions spoil quickly. Another cause is poor transportation.
In the past, tomatoes were moved by train, which was faster. Modern trains can travel from Kano to Lagos in five hours, but now trucks take a whole day, which is bad for perishable foods.
He added that bad roads make the situation worse. Trucks hit potholes, which damages the goods.
Sometimes, trucks get stuck or tip over because of the bad roads, causing thousands of tons of food to go to waste.
