Post Harvest Loss Reduction in Nigeria
CHIMA C. IGWE
Nigerian Correspondent

The theme of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) conference, held in conjunction with their annual meeting, was "Post Harvest Loss Reduction: Setting an Agenda for Food Security for the Coming Millenium".

Sub-themes of the conference are as follows:

• Post Harvest Losses: state of the Nation
• Post Harvest losses: Role of investment capital
• Post Harvest technology: Past, present and future efforts in research
• Post Harvest losses: Implications for food quality and safety.

Highlights of the conference included keynote address, smpossium/colloquim, Technical sessions, plenarry sessions, food exposition/exhibition, cocktail/cultural night, conference luncheon/dinner, and an excursion/tour of the capital city of Abuja.

Participants at the conference included top government functionaries, Head of related international organisations in Nigeria, Heads of Federal and State Ministries, Captains of Industries, Researchers, Academia, Press and the general public.

The conference made the following observations. That:

i) NIFST had over the past twenty-three years been focusing on a yearly basis, on various problem areas of food scarcity in Nigeria.

ii) The effort of the government is fairly commendable on the approval of the National policy on Food and Nutrition but that not much can be achieved with the policy implementation if the National planning commission is saddled with that responsibility.

iii) Government have not been making use of Research findings in solving problems of post harvest losses.

iv) Clear government policies and total absence of regualtions in the export of agricultural produce (such as kolanut, cocoa, groundnut, etc.) had resulted in the loss of goodwill that Nigeria had earlier enjoyed.

v) So much emphasis had been placed on intensive land clearing, fertilizer distribution and other inputs, at highly subsidised costs with very little or no attention paid to post-harvest loss prevention.

vi) Investment capital is the pivot around which Post Harvest Loss Prevention revolves, and that what is required is an environment condusive for investment in the agricultural sector. Most of the production, storage and processing have remained in the hands of peasant farmers using primitive techniques that are grossly inefficient, largely unsafe, and invariably uneconomical.

vii) Nigeria does not have a National Food Resources Information System that will ensure a coordinated National Food Marketing Infrastructure.

viii) The nation does not have a Technical Assistance Programme designed to achieve coordination and cooperation in all agricultural issues.

ix) There is no coordinated and sustainable food processing technological development.

x) There is the absence of a recognised Institution that regulates the practice of the food profession in Nigeria.

2. The conference therefore recommends as follows that:

i) Government should pay better attention to suggestions emanating from NIFST's year;y communiques.

ii) A National Food and Nutrition Planning Commission should be st-up as a matter of urgency under the supervision of the Presidency. This commission should be manned by Food Professionals and not government bureaucrats.

iii) Government should make use of technical information available in our Research Insitutions and through the information network on post harvest operations, a dedicated website created by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

iv) Government should be more consistent in policy implementation and regulatory activities on agricultural produce.

v) Government should invest more on appropriate technology for the handling and post harvest processing of agricultural produce.

vi) Government should provide the necessary capital to embark on improved food production and processing activities by establishing an Industrial Bank which will source its capital base from unclaimed dividends by shareholders. The Bank could give out loans at very low interest rates (between 3 to 5%).

vii) Nigeria needs an efficient National Food Resources Information System to be put in place immediately by Government. This will facilitate the development of a viable National Food Marketing Infrastructure.

viii) The nation needs a technical assistance programme which will coordinate and cooperate on all agricultural issues.

ix) There is a need to establish centres of excellence to coordinate our food processing and technology development.

x) Government must, without further delay, pass a legislation establishing the Institute of Food Science and Technology of Nigeria, a council, that will regualte the practice of food profession in the country.

3. International Conference: The Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) in collaboration with Faculte des Sciences Agronomiques, Universite Nationale Du benin (FSA - UNB) is organising an international conference on Food Technology, tagged Cotonou 2000 at the International Conference Centre, Cotonou, Benin Republic on Monday, 9th to Wednesday, 11th October, 2000.

The theme of the conference is: "Export Potentials of Foods from West Africa", with the sub-themes as:

• Small/Cottage Scale Food Processing in West Africa: Situation Report
• Manpower/Capacity building in small/cottage scale food processing
• Fabrication of small/cottage scale food processing equipment in West Africa: Problems and Prospects.
• Effect of West African Food: Guidelines and the role of international agencies.
• Food processing for export: Employment generation and poverty alleviation in West Africa.

For further details on the Benin Conference, please contact:

Chima C. Igwe
NIFST, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: 234-1-521059 Ext. 134
Fax: 234-1-4525880
E-mail: fiiro@rcl.nig.com