To mitigate the incessant food crop losses in Nigeria following the prevalent poor post-harvest management, a team of researchers at the Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) has called on the federal and state governments to partner the private sector and the various agricultural institutions in the country to design and mass produce affordable storage facilities including average-sized silos adaptable to local condition.
NISER also canvassed for more encouragement for local entrepreneurs in the manufacturing of chemicals for controlling insect infestation and rodents.
The Productive Sector Group in the Economic Policy Research Department of NISER enjoined government to “encourage local manufacturers to build storage and packaging facilities in a way that cost of production will make unit price affordable to farmers by facilitating manufacturers access to raw materials and loans at low cost.
In its presentation at the institute’s monthly research seminar series with theme entitled “Reducing Food Crop Losses through Post-Harvest Management in Nigeria”, the head of the Group, Timothy Oni, urged the authorities to take the funding of Rural Access Mobility Programme of the department of agriculture in the various states of the federation very seriously.
Oni said this became imperative to encourage young graduates into the agricultural sector.
The NISER productive group advocated the construction of more rural feeder roads and rehabilitation of existing ones with priority for various forms of transportation needs of farmers, processors and marketers in the rural areas.
It however advocated that farmers’ unions and community-based associations should be encouraged to undertake self-help rural road rehabilitation activities.
REMI FEYISIPO
