Abuja: The Federal Government has announced that Nigeria is the leading global producer of root and tuber crops, with over 60 million tonnes of cassava and yam, accounting for 68 to 76 percent of the world’s output. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abdullahi Aliyu, made this revelation at the 2026 Post Harvest Connect and Root, Tuber and Banana Conference in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the conference, organized by the Nigerian Stored Produce Research Institute (NSPRI) in collaboration with other stakeholders, carries the theme ‘Scaling Post-harvest Technologies for Enhanced Productivity and Competitiveness’. The minister highlighted the country’s significant production capacity on the global stage but expressed concerns over the substantial post-harvest losses due to inadequate storage facilities and solutions.
“Though our production capacity is high, the country’s challenge is post-harvest losses,” Sen. Aliyu stated, noting that many farmers experience wastage of up to 30 to 40 percent of their produce, while those in the fruit and vegetable sectors face losses as high as 60 to 70 percent. He emphasized that reducing post-harvest losses even by 10 percent could increase food availability and enhance affordability.
The minister stressed the importance of the conference in bringing stakeholders together to develop programs that ensure farmers benefit from their produce and citizens have access to fairly priced food. The national food security challenge, he noted, encompasses food availability, accessibility, affordability, and nutritional content, all vital for achieving comprehensive food security.
Prof. Lateef Sanni, Executive Director of NSPRI, explained the decision to focus on root, tuber, and banana crops due to their economic potential and value to Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing these crops to maximize their rich potential and benefit farmers, consumers, and the country as a whole.
Sanni identified the conference as an opportunity to showcase existing and potential post-harvest solutions at both public and private levels, underscoring the necessity of collaboration between the government, private sector, financial institutions, and donors to address Nigeria’s post-harvest challenges. He highlighted that increased private sector involvement would lead to more profitable business activities for farmers.
The event aimed to foster a collaborative environment where industry stakeholders, private sector, research, academics, and development partners could exchange ideas and develop national solutions to enhance the post-harvest sector’s value proposition, crucial for maintaining Nigeria’s status as the world’s top producer of roots and tubers.