From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
As part of efforts to reduce post-harvest losses and ensure availability of quality produce, the Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) has introduced three newly-invented technology-based storage equipment to Kogi farmers.
Performing the commissioning and distribution of the equipment to nine Multi-Purpose Cooperative groups at the state Agricultural Development Project (ADP) premises in Lokoja, the Kogi state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh said post harvest losses had over the years posed a great challenge to the agriculture sector culminating in food insecurity.
Apeh who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Malam Sani Abdulganiyu commended NSPRI for introducing Kogi farmers to technology-based devices saying that the State, through the ADP was already in partnership with the institute.
He added that whatever would be done to enable more farmers to benefit from the technological inventions, especially the facilities, would be handled by the ADP with full support of government.
Speaking earlier, the NSPRI Team Lead, Dr Olaleye Oladimeji, said the inventions were aimed at alleviating post-harvest losses often associated with agricultural produce.
Oladimeji said that the beneficiaries comprised farmers, handlers and marketers of agricultural produce identified through collaboration with the state ADP.
“The government as we know has been doing much in promoting agricultural production but we find out that when you produce after sometimes because of poor handling and inadequate knowledge to preserve the produce most of them get lost.
Also speaking, Mrs Omolola Ogunjinrin, Agricultural Engineer with NSPRI who took representatives of the nine benefitting cooperative groups through on a demonstration of operational workings of the equipment urged them to adhere strictly to the instructions.
Ogunjinrin said that the hermetic steel storage drums could be used to store grains such as beans, maize, rice, millet and sorghum for between six months and one year without adding chemicals.
She said some of the institute’s inventions including iced fish box, the Hermetic steel drum and smoking kiln had already been patented and published by their researchers.
The Managing Director of ADP, Alhaji Bello Ogirima,commended NSPRI for the collaboration to arrest post-harvest losses and charged the beneficiaries not to sell off the equipment to meet other commitments.
