The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said that Nigeria has intensified efforts to reform its agricultural sector through a strategic and robust public-private partnership to cut post-harvest losses estimated at ₦3.5 trillion annually.

Speaking during a high-level panel discussion at the FAO Hand-in-Hand Sahel Regional Initiative in Rome, Italy, Senator Kyari noted that the initiative focuses on accelerating capacity, partnerships, and investments to transform agrifood systems across the region.

According to him, scaling up the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, the largest in Africa, from eight to 27 states, will provide integrated infrastructure for agro-processors and significantly reduce operating costs.

The minister explained that implementing the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST) is central to this reform. 

He said the initiative will help recover the trillions lost to post-harvest inefficiencies each year through modern storage, cold-chain systems, and improved warehousing facilities.

Senator Kyari further emphasised the need for stronger institutions, innovative financing, and strategic public-private collaboration to unlock the full potential of farmers, processors, and small agribusinesses across the Sahel region.

“The pathway to upscale is to implement a laudable agenda. Implementation is not abstract; it requires due diligence, smart governance, and unwavering political will,” he said.

Source: Daily Trust