****Kogi accounts for N94.5bn of N3.5 trillion annual post-harvest losses in Nigeria
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
SMALL-SCALE Women Farmer Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) has called on national and sub-national governments to evolve deliberate policies to address perennial post-harvest losses being incurred by farmers especially the smallholders.
Hajia Rukayat Larai Ahmed, Coordinator of SWOFON, Kogi State chapter made the call on Friday while presenting the SWOFON and Budget Committee Group (BCG) annual press briefing on Kogi state 2025 Agriculture Budget Analysis, Observations and Recommendations in Lokoja.
The annual Agriculture Budget Analysis, aimed at improving agricultural productivity in Kogi State, through consistent advocacy, is conducted by SWOFON in collaboration with the Budget Committee Group (BCG) with support from ActionAid Nigeria (AAN).
The Coordinator said with Kogi accounting for N94.5bn of the N3.5 trillion annual post-harvest losses in Nigeria, there is need to address the issue with deliberate policies by government at all levels.
“We recommend that the Kogi State Government expand post-harvest loss reduction interventions beyond grain storage to include fruits and vegetables, given the state’s abundance.
The Small Scale Women Farmer Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) is a coalition of women farmers across Nigeria working together to promote women-friendly agricultural policies and increasing women’s access to land, farm inputs and funding.
Speaking on the issue, chairman of BCG, Mr Matthias Okpanachi called for more information on post-harvest losses and capacity building at all levels of production in addition to the advocacy.
Mr Hamza Aliyu, Executive Director, Initiative for Grassroots Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) and member of the BCG, thanked ActionAid Nigeria, for developing an advocacy tool kit that makes it possible to quantity post harvest losses.
Aliyu urged that the co-ordinating Ministry should come up with a policy on post harvest losses adding that except we have such policy in place we cannot draw down on any development plan in that direction.
Also in her presentation, Mrs Faith Barikisu Ogaji, Deputy Coordinator of SWOFON decried dwindling budgetary allocations to the Agriculture sector in spite of the 10 per cent Maputo Declaration of 2003 to which Nigerian and by implication, the states are signatories.
“Despite ongoing advocacy for increased agricultural funding, the 2025 approved budget saw a decline in allocation from 3.37% in 2024 to 2.79%, falling significantly short of the 10% target set by the Maputo Declaration.
While appealing to the government to improve on release of allocated funds for the Agriculture sector and especially, smallholder farmers, she called for a comprehensive Agriculture Policy framework that incorporates continental and national priorities.
The four co-anchors of the press conference urged government to prioritize Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) to grant more access credit as they lamented that smallholder women farmers currently access less than 23 per cent of formal credit.
They also called for improved extension services with enhanced budgetary allocation, prioritize and support women and youth agricultural enterprise, adopt labour saving technologies and support Climate Resilience Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology.
“Given the low budget performance in 2024 and the lack of fund releases for projects supporting smallholder farmers, there is a critical need for improved and timely budget releases along with adequate cash backing for budget lines targeting smallholder farmers in the 2025 Agriculture Budget”, they noted.
SWOFON is a coalition of women farmers across Nigeria working together to promote women-friendly agricultural policies and increasing women’s access to land, farm inputs and funding, aimed at improving agricultural productivity. (Ends)