NSPRI Presents N2m Grant Award to Corps Member on Post Harvest Loss Activity

Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Ilorin Kwara state has presented a sum of N2 million grant to a serving corps member, who distinguished herself in the reduction of post harvest losses activity. Beneficiary of the 2023 grant award, Miss Zainab Adam, who engaged in smoked fish business activity, was unveiled at the training programme, titled: ”Skills Acquisition For Corps Members On Value Addition To Agricultural Commodities In Kwara State”, packaged by Synergy Impact Consultants Limited.

 Speaking during the grant award presentation to Miss Zainab Adam and opening ceremony of a five-day training programme for 50 selected corps members in the state on Tuesday, the Executive Director of the NSPRI, Professor Lateef Sanni, said that post harvest losses have led to increase in prices of agricultural commodities. Professor Sanni, who lamented effects of 40-55% losses in post harvest losses of agricultural commodities in the country, said that close to S200 million, are lost globally, adding that 10% of annual post harvest losses in Nigeria is nothing less than S5billion. He said that effects of post harvest losses in the country are seen in high prices of agricultural commodities. "Why? Because the little we have cannot service over 230 million people. But if we can be able to reduce the post harvest losses even by 25 per cent, nobody would be saying that there's high prices of commodities. By that, every one, in all parts of the country will have intermediate product that could be saved for some days before you process them.

 "One of the beneficiaries displayed tomatoes paste in sachet. If it's only tomatoes alone that we can work on in the country, because it's very huge in the North and if some kind of home made facilities could be made for people, it would help us a lot in the country". The NSPRI executive director also said that reduction in post harvest losses would reduce loss of income among farmers and agricultural processors. "Economically, there will be reduction in loss of income, and farmers, processors, loaders, off-loaders etc would have more money. This is talking about products that can be stored for months and transported across long distance. "Also, there is going to be employment opportunities. If we can reduce post harvest losses, the implications is that there's going to be a natural flock of youth that will surround peri-urban environment for storage, and post harvest haulage activities. It will create that traffic to that environment".

 Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, commended the NSPRI for teaching the corps members skills on value addition, post harvest losses and presentation of grants. The Commissioner, who said that the organization's efforts would go a long way to propel the corps members to fortune in their future engagement, added that it could also transform agricultural landscape in the country.

 Speaking on behalf of the NYSC State Director, Onifade Joshua, a Director in the scheme, Mrs. Omolabake Adeniyi, said that 50 corps members were selected among a total number of 8,000 advising the beneficiaries to utilize the opportunity maximally.