How Innovative Storage can reduce Food Loss in Nigeria

In a bid to make a case for innovative storage, there is a need to understand the challenges farmers and value-chain key players encounter, the severity of this challenge and the frequency of its occurrence, and perhaps this might remind of us how important it is to leverage innovative technologies to curb food loss.

Firstly, food loss occurs at different phases of Agriculture production however, it is common place at the post-harvest stage of Agriculture valuechain and this is often described as post-harvest loss (PHL).

Secondly, postharvest loss is best defined as the degradation in both quantity and quality of a food production from harvest to consumption. Quality losses include those that affect the nutrient/caloric composition, the acceptability, and the edibility of a given product while quantity losses refer to those that result in the loss of the amount of a product however, loss of quantity is more common in developing countries while loss of quality is most common to developed countries.

From the outset, farmers and key players in the Agriculture valuechain have been concerned about losses yet the problem of how much food is lost after harvest to processing, spoilage, insects and rodents, or to other factors takes on greater importance as world food demand grows. It is believed that cutting postharvest losses could, presumably, add a sizable quantity to the global food supply, thus reducing the need to intensify production in the future.

As you might have already imagined, in many African countries, the post-harvest losses of food cereals are quite high, previously estimated at 25% of the total crop harvested. For some crops such as fruits, vegetables and root crops, being less hardy than cereals, post-harvest losses can reach 50%.

Majority of this loss is recorded due to improper drying, poor storage and transportation facility. In closed structures (granaries, warehouses, hermetic bins, silos), control of cleanliness, temperature, and humidity is particularly important. It also very important to manage pests and diseases since damage caused by pests (insects, rodents) and molds can lead to deterioration of facilities (e.g. mites in wooden posts) and result in losses in quality and food value as well as quantity.

Many technologies and innovations have since been developed to address the various causes of food losses. However, some of these have either not reached the targeted user or have not had the desired result. This is partly because people aren’t aware of them or can’t afford them.

Creating awareness about the applicable technologies and demonstrating their benefits is one way to yield results. This strategy has been used in promoting hermetic storage bags for grains. Hermetic storage is a proven solution for the threat of storage pests like weevils which attack stored grain.

CropIT, a leading agritech company in its innovative partnership with GrainPro has shown its dedication to creating products that support organic, chemical-free procedures in storing, drying, and transporting agricultural commodities, this is in a bid to combat food loss.

It has continued to ensure that farmer’s valuable commodities are handled in a moisture-free, insect-free, and mold-free environment. Its products include grain transport, drying, and storage systems that have superior barrier properties designed to ensure that farmers commodities are safe whether by blocking moisture, controlling insect infestation, reducing massive quantity loss, or preserving fine quality.

Examples of the innovative storage includes

1. Collapsible Dryer Case™: This is an affordable portable case used to safely and conveniently dry various agricultural commodities. Designed to minimize post-harvest losses as well as operational expenses, this innovative sun dryer is perfect for patio drying a wide variety of agricultural commodities such as coffee, cacao, rice, and maize.

2. Cocoon is a flood-protected and Ultra-Hermetic™ storage solution designed to safely store dry agricultural commodities without the need for chemicals. Made of flexible UV-resistant Polyvinyl Chloride, the Cocoon guards against rodent attacks and prevents the exchange of air and moisture. It can also protect products from being damaged by floods below its zipper line. This solution has low permeability to air and moisture, enabling chemical-free storage and long-term preservation. Additionally, users will be able to monitor internal oxygen and relative humidity levels during operation.

3. TranSafeliner™ protects and preserves the quality of dry agricultural commodities placed in shipping containers and it is made of high-strength polyethylene with proprietary barrier layer. Woven PE rope braces are also welded on the TranSafeliner™ for easy installation. It has excellent gas and moisture shielding properties which stops insect infestation, reduces the effects of condensation, and restricts the entry of moist ambient air which allows mold growth. Stored commodities are safely preserved without losses of quality and quantity even during trans-oceanic transit or storage wherein commodities are stored in bags and placed inside the TranSafeliner™.

To this end, it is important to foster the adoption of postharvest technologies across the board and explore its capacity to contribute to food security.

Ultimately, it is not out of place to note that when the right innovative technologies are utilized, postharvest losses are greatly reduced, thereby increasing the amount of food available for consumption by farmers and poor rural and urban consumers and that is what this article has succinctly described.