The Federal Government has launched the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme, NiPHaST, aimed at reducing food losses and strengthening national food security.
Unveiled by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal, the programme is designed to stabilize food prices, improve storage, and boost farmer incomes.
NiPHaST will focus on household storage technologies, community warehouses, cold rooms, and national silos through public-private partnerships.
The Minister noted that Nigeria loses about 3.5 trillion naira annually to postharvest inefficiencies, mostly impacting smallholder farmers. He said the new initiative will unlock private sector investment, expand infrastructure, improve exports, and create jobs across the agricultural value chain.
Kyari stressed that transforming postharvest systems is key to securing livelihoods and positioning Nigeria as a major food supplier in West Africa.
