Zero hunger: Nigeria targets reduction of post harvest losses by 50 per cent


The Nigeria’s Zero Hunger Strategic Committee says it is targeting the reduction of post-harvest losses in a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number two by 2024.

A report signed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Chairman of the committee, in Abuja on Wednesday, said the target would be achieved through the use of post- harvest handling technologies.

According to him, the reduction will also be achieved by training farmers and processors, appropriate equipment supplies, commercial credit and improvement of marketing channels.

Obasanjo said that the measure would boost productivity in small scale farming to meet household food needs and produce marketable and exportable surpluses.

The former president said that the target would be achieved in collaboration with major agriculture stakeholders, adding that curtailing post-harvest losses was a key component toward achieving zero hunger in the country.

Obasanjo said the committee would ensure that agricultural production was increased by 57 million tonnes per year through improved dry season farming.

He listed some targets of the committee toward achieving zero hunger to include ensuring sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices, maintaining ecosystems and generic diversity seeds.

The chairman said the report would be first implemented in four pilot states of Benue, Sokoto, Ebonyi and Ogun.

While explaining that eight more states would be added to the programme by 2019, Obasanjo said all the states of the federation would follow subsequently.

The former president explained that the initiative was to support and encourage government to implement policies and plans toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals number two by 2030.

Obasanjo, in the report, listed the implementing partners of the target to include the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, World Food Programme and Organised Private Sector.

Others are UNICEF and Food and Agriculture Organisation, and civil society organisations among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SDGs inaugurated the Nigeria Zero Hunger Committee in April 2016 to enable the country achieve the SDGs Goal 2.

Goal 2 is aimed at ending hunger, achieving food security, improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

The Zero Hunger is the goal 2 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


It emphasises the prominence of food security and nutrition; and calls on member-states to ‘’End hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture’’ by 2030.

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