IITA and partners launch Postharvest Reduction Project

1 June 2022

IITA recently launched a project on reducing postharvest losses across the Vitamin A cassava (VAC) and Vitamin A maize (VAM) value chains. The project, being implemented in partnership with HarvestPlus and Harvestfield, was launched virtually across Anambra, Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Niger Osun, and Oyo states in Nigeria. The project aims to improve the adoption of postharvest loss reduction practices in Nigeria.

IITA Abuja Station Head Prof Lateef Sanni addressing participants at the launch.
IITA Abuja Station Head Prof Lateef Sanni addressing participants at the launch.

Giving the opening remarks, Development and Delivery Office Director Alfred Dixon revealed that the project launch serves as an opportunity to address the problems of delay in harvesting, poor processing techniques, and inadequate storage and distribution methods of cassava and maize in Nigeria.

“The vision for this project is to see that there will be an improvement in the adoption of postharvest loss reduction practices across VAC and VAM value chains in these eight states,” said Dixon.

Head of IITA Abuja Station and BASICS II Project Manager, Lateef Sanni, said the retention of carotene in biofortified crops like Vitamin A cassava and maize makes it imperative that attention is given to these crops postharvest. He highlighted the importance of nutrition quality retention during packaging, storage, and meal preparation.

“We are experiencing 25 to 40% of postharvest losses in Nigeria, and key stakeholders recognize the solutions available at IITA,” he said.

According to Sanni, the essence of the project is to explore how best the various actors in the Vitamin A cassava and Vitamin A maize value chain can leverage postharvest solutions to make sure that they benefit in their enterprise.

National President of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Prof. Madu O. Iwe, speaking with GAIN Nigeria Country Director Dr Michael Ojo during the launch.
National President of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Prof. Madu O. Iwe, speaking with GAIN Nigeria Country Director Dr Michael Ojo during the launch.

GAIN Country Director Dr Micheal Ojo revealed that the program is designed to scale commercial activities for nutrient-enriched food products. It also seeks to improve nutritional status and livelihoods, especially in rural communities and settlements with less diverse diets, through VAC and VAM, staples for over 100 million Nigerians.

“I am really excited with the teams on this project and the variety of stakeholders at this launch. I look forward to this engagement scaling up commercial activities and making significant changes in how we address aflatoxin control and reduce postharvest losses across Vitamin A cassava and Vitamin A maize value chains”, Ojo added.

In his remarks, Acting Country Manager, HarvestPlus Nigeria, Dr Yusuf Dollah, noted that value chains thrive better with strong partnerships. “The collaboration between IITA and HarvestPlus will ensure the overall objective of the project to improve the adoption of postharvest loss reduction practices across the VAC and VAN value chains in Nigeria is achieved,” he added.

The project, sponsored by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), will improve the adoption of postharvest loss reduction practices across the VAC and VAM value chains in Nigeria, with further emphasis on aflatoxin awareness and mitigation strategies for VAM, amongst key value chain actors such as smallholder farmers, input dealers, aggregators, transporters, and food processors in the eight states across Nigeria.

Contributed by Timilehin Osunde and Terngu Abur