FG to end $9bn post-harvest losses through crop processing zones

As part of an effort to end post-harvest losses put at $9 billion annually, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture, said the government has concluded plans to set up staple crops processing zones in areas of high food production across the country, among other approaches.
 
Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture
The minister disclosed this at a stakeholders’ conference with the theme “Sustainable Development and Security in the Niger Delta beyond Oil’’ organised by Akassa Development Foundation (ADF) in Abuja recently. Akassa is a community in Bayelsa State.

Other approaches to tackling pot-harvest losses as listed by the minister include development of cold chains, improvement in infrastructure and product handling, among others. According to the minister, the government will utilise fiscal and infrastructure incentives to attract private food manufacturing companies to add value to agricultural produce.

Lokpobiri said the government would adopt inclusive models structured around smallholder farmers in order to create wealth and boost development investments. He challenged the people of the Niger Delta region to engage in agriculture as the region has the largest wetland with arable land for agriculture.

He noted that the area is also suitable for commercial production of varieties of crops, including rice, cassava, yam, okro, ogbonno, cocoyam, maize, pepper and plantain, among others.


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