NASS Pledges Funding to Tackle Post Harvest Losses
The National Assembly (NASS) has reaffirmed its commitment to allocating adequate funding to the agricultural sector to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen food security and sustainability. Sen. Simon Lalong, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture Colleges and Institutions, gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday, the 24th of April, 2025 at the 2nd Post-Harvest Connect Conference and Exhibition, held alongside the National Cassava Conference 2025. He was represented by Sen. Titus Tartenger, Vice Chairman of the Committee. The conference, convened by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), was themed “Leveraging Post-Harvest Technology to Scale Up Agricultural Competitiveness”. Sen. Lalong said the National Assembly has the responsibility to enact laws that promote good governance, including supporting initiatives that advance agricultural productivity. He commended NSPRI for its excellent work in mitigating post-harvest losses, adding that the institute deserves increased budgetary support.
Prof. Lateef Sanni, Executive Director of NSPRI, explained that the conference aimed to explore sustainable solutions to the enormous post-harvest losses affecting agricultural produce across Nigeria. According to him, the objective is to leverage available technologies to support rural households in reducing losses and improving their livelihoods. He noted that Nigeria loses over N3.5 trillion annually to post-harvest losses, and emphasised the need for value addition to agricultural commodities as a path to transforming the sector. The conference, he said, was convened to bring stakeholders together to align on strategies to reduce the 40 to 60 percent wastage in crops such as onions, tomatoes, and cassava through technology. Prof. Sanni stressed that Post-Harvest Connect is a national platform for all sector players, not just NSPRI. “We must collaborate to find lasting solutions. There are effective technologies already developed locally, our focus should be on how to harness and scale them collectively”. “The theme of the conference is particularly relevant as we aim to identify those who already have post-harvest solutions and assess their relevance and potential for widespread application”.
Mr Godwin Atser, Country Director of the Sasakawa Africa Association, called for increased investment in research and development, in crops, livestock, and technologies to reduce post-harvest losses. He stressed the importance of political will and consistent government support for such initiatives, identifying NSPRI as a leading Institution capable of driving change. “NSPRI has developed several post-harvest technologies. What we now need is to scale them to reach more farmers. We’re seeing progress, with some states investing in storage solutions like NSPRI-developed drums. However, more states need to commit and ensure these technologies reach farmers at scale,” Mr. Atser said.
Mr Mustapha Bakano, National President of the Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria (CCAN), expressed the association’s readiness to support President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda by focusing on meeting local demand for cassava products. He noted the growing demand for cassava and said the association’s current priority is to ensure food security before expanding production for industrial use.
