Agricultural and Food Losses in Nigeria the Way Out

Agricultural and Food Losses in Nigeria – the Way Out B.A. Oyewole and S A Oloko Deptt. Of Agricultural Engineering The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

In recent times, the issue of food for the production was not the final solution. It had country’s population has attracted the to be complemented by good harvests and attention of all those directly connected with post-harvest practices which reduced the agricultural production. Agricultural losses amount of loss. A 50% reduction in post- are one of the greatest problems facing harvest food loss should reduce the need for agricultural production in Nigeria and food importation.iii This paper outlines the concerns everyone from the research different factors responsible for quantifiable scientists to the extension workers in the agricultural and food losses with some field to the farmers on the farm and to the recommendations for solving the problem. government policy formulators. CAUSES OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD This paper examines losses in agricultural LOSSES produce from the field to the end users and Transport System also looks at prevailing problems associated Transporting is the marketing function for with extraction from the field, storage and moving goods. The efficient flow of handling and government policy. agricultural produce requires a good quality system for shipping and moving goods. A Nigerian efforts to develop agriculture and country’s infrastructures and transport attain self-sufficiency in food production are system are often seen as key aspects of its faced with a host of problems despite the development. In Nigeria, road and rail measures taken or currently being systems are the means for transporting considered by various organs of government agricultural produce down south and up and professionals. Current forecasts predict north. that sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria will need to double grain imports to 50 A major obstacle to agricultural development million tones by 2010 in a fiercely in Nigeria is the parlous state of the competitive world market. i Added to this is transport infrastructure. Despite their the fact that since 1980, the population of obvious importance, transport systems do Africa has risen by 53% but food production not function as they should. The roads and has risen by only 45%. More than 800 rail are in a dilapidated condition and a million people in developing countries were significant proportion of investments made in undernourished at then beginning of the road networks in 1960s and 1970s has 1990s and depend on aid.ii disappeared because of lack of maintenance. The worsening condition of The World Food Summit in November 1996 the roads is such that the amount of vowed to reduce the number of necessary repairs or reconstruction now undernourished people to half their present requires levels of expenditure between three level of 800 million by 2015. This means that and five times as much as preventive food production would have to grow by 4% maintenance would have cost. The World each year for the next two decades.¹ Bank estimates that the saving of one dollar on road maintenance increases the cost of Such a rate of growth is based on a operating vehicles on that route by two or combination of increase in cropping area, three dollars.¹ cropping intensities and yield. In Nigeria, efforts made to increase food production On top of the dilapidated state of roads and include the establishment of river basin the deterioration of rural tracks, there is authorities, agricultural development another layer of concern: the ramshackle programmes, green revolution, Operation vehicles hurtling at excess speed from Feed the Nation, research institutes, pothole to pothole, overloaded with human agricultural input supplies and bulk purchase and other cargo, a frequent and sometimes companies. However, increased food fatal recipe for disaster. In his previous works, Okigbo advocated The question is, “What impact does good, efficient handling abilities to reduce transport have on agricultural losses in the cost of perishables.v At the present time, Nigeria?” The poor state of roads slows Nigeria is still battling with primitive ways of down the development of supply systems handling farm produce. A visit to a loading and food distribution. It is common to see point will show a pitiable sight. trucks conveying perishable produce breaking down and remaining in that state Marketing and price system for from three days to a week without There is a need for production incentives in removing the produce. In cities like Jos, terms of favourable pricing linked with Kano and Lagos, piles of spoiled fruits tell efficient marketing facilities, if losses are to the tale of the ineffectiveness of the be reduced. In Nigeria, however, incentives transport system. are generally minimal or non-existent. There is no provision for cushioning farmers Storage and handling facilities against periods of sharp price fluctuations. Food availability was once thought to be In a field study that the authors carried out at synonymous with crop production. For Ado-Ekiti local government area of Ekiti losses to be reduced, harvesting, handling State, it was found that 80% of farmers who and storage methods must be matched by practiced mixed-cropping abandoned their sudden increases in crop production. The cassava tubers from July to October bumper harvests recorded in 1985 and 1986 because the demand price was not with their accompanying food prices attractive enough. Just two-thirds of the confirms the view that Nigeria’s efforts to production and processed costs were improve farm production must be matched recorded. by adequate storage, marketing and distribution. Another cause for concern is that consumers in the main importing countries In an effort to reduce post-harvest losses, such as the EU, Japan and the USA are the government constructed strategic grain becoming more demanding of quality and reserve silos. However, the FAO has more aware of pesticide residues and queried the decision to use metal instead of bacterial contamination in crops, fish and concrete bins because of their greater livestock products. susceptibility to moisture migration and thus their suitability for long-term storage of grain Government’s Agricultural Policies in the humid climate of Nigeria. Moisture It is vital to have consistent agricultural migration and condensation in grain stock development policies and programmes in result in spoilage and is a shortcoming of order to keep to guiding principles, metallic silo cells. When metallic silos were strategies and tactics that are compatible used, an estimated 25 to 30% post-harvest with the nature of the agricultural problems loss was recorded for maize, 37% for to be solved and the desired objectives.v sorghum and 30 to 50% for cowpeas.iv Policies, strategies and programmes should also be compatible with and adjusted to the Insects and fire outbreaks are other major prevailing understanding and knowledge of causes of grain loss in the traditional the agricultural development process. methods of storage with the Rhombus method recording the highest loss. It is high time for the government to be firm in its commitment tow agricultural growth. Agridem Consultant, a private organization, Successive governments have continually estimated the marketing distribution losses pronounced publicly that they are giving in 1994 for maize, rice, sorghum, millet, priority to agricultural and rural development, cowpea, groundnut, yam, cassava, plantain but official action has not measured up to and fruits as 1.6%, 1.8%, 1.76%, 1.65%, expectations. Overall development plans, 2.81%, 1.63%, 3.7%, 2.38%, 2.22% and allocation, actual public expenditure, 3.83% respectively. effective expenditure on productive agricultural activities and agricultural policies and programmes have frequently been Korea and to move the latter away inconsistent with declared priorities. from its belligerent posture on the Korean peninsula. LOSSES In the field, there are five main kinds of loss THE WAY OUT – harvest, storage, drying, processing and 1. General: To address the above handling. issues properly, a system must be implemented that brings public and There are also primary losses which are private sectors together for active those that affect food produce directly such interaction. A cue could be taken as biological losses from rodents, insects, from the Food Corporation of India, birds etc. Then there are secondary losses which has played a significant role in that do not affect products directly but create transforming the Indian food favourable conditions for primary losses e.g. economy. It operates through a inadequate harvesting, packing, countrywide network of institutions transportation, storage and drying facilities and infrastructures at zonal, regional and bad quality control. Tertiary losses are and district level. those caused by the end users when they 2. Application of Indigenous handle produce roughly and carelessly, Technologies: One way to reduce causing unnecessary wastage. A visit to agricultural losses is to apply markets and homes will reveal this kind of indigenous technologies including loss. effective ways of co-ordinating research, disseminating results and OTHER PROBLEMS demonstrations to encourage wider 1. Famine. There is an immediate adoption. danger of famine if agricultural 3. Price Assurance for Farm losses persist. The present food Produce: The issue of price level is such that urgent attention assurance must be addressed so must be given to food preservation. that the farmer can increase 2. Decline in Revenue. Obviously, production to levels that will ensure losses in agricultural produce mean stability of supplies to meet both a reduction in earning which will normal and emergency ultimately affect the government too. requirements. 3. Shortage of raw materials. Those 4. Private Sector Involvement with industries that depend on agriculture Favourable Incentives: Incentive for raw materials will face serious packages to compensate for the problems. opportunity cost of capital tied down 4. Rising Prices. Scarcity will lead to must be evolved if the private sector sharp price rises which will add to is to continue holding stocks. Such the cost of living. incentives should include fees or 5. Threat to the nation’s security. Food commissions for storing on behalf of shortages lead to a threat to the the government and entitlements to country’s security and can credit at favourable interest rates sometimes even undermine the 5. Local Government Involvement: sovereignty of the country. This The local government is closest to happened in North Korea. The USA the farmer and so should be in the used the famine in North Korea to forefront in preventing losses by make that country shelve their promoting the maintenance of food nuclear weapons race by dangling stocks at household and enterprise food aid before them while the levels. Food storage at government South Korean government agreed to level is a buffer to ensure price supply some 150,000 tonnes of rice stability in the system. (worth about US$250 million) to 6. Focusing on Quality Issues: To North Korea. Policy makers in South enhance demand and farm income, Korea saw it as an opportunity to it is essential to focus on customers offer a hand of friendship to North and to improve the quality of produce. Even a slight improvement can affect the marketability of produce quite dramatically and hence reduce loss. 7. Need for Consistency in Agricultural Policies: Current policies in Nigeria are ad hoc, conflicting and inconsistent. Only good policies can ensure viable national farm factors, which will provide food for the people, raw materials for agro-industries and exports and protection for the environment. Agricultural production is complex and multi-disciplinary so a holistic, integrated approach must be adopted in shaping policies and plans, determining strategies, formulating programmes and managing their implementation. Only then can consistency and compatibility among sectors be achieved. 8. Construction of Feeder Roads: These must be built to convey the large amounts of farm produce now wasting away in the fields because of lack of transport facilities. 9. Periodic Workshops for Farmers: Institutions, the government and other organizations should arrange regular workshop training for farmers and those who operate agricultural machinery. i Agricultural and Rural Co-operation Netherland (ARCN) 1998: bi-monthly publication of the Technical Center for Agriculture and Rural Co- operation, Netherland; No. 77 October issue ii FAO (1988): Food Security Assessment, Food and Agricultural Organisation Bulleting Rome iii Tunde-Akintunde, T Y and Akintunde B C (1996): post harvest losses of food crops: sources and solutions, proceedings of the annual conference of the Nigerian Society of /Agricultural Engineers, Vol. 13 iv Olorunda A O and Aboaba F O (1987): Food preservation by ionizing radiation in Nigeria: present and future status. Food preservation by irradiation. Vol. 5:3, Vienna. v Okigbo B N (1985): Need for consistency in Nigeria’s agricultural development Vol. 8