4th November, 2021
The Federal Government has presented free storage and food preservation facilities to three hundred fish farmers in Lagos State to curb excess wastage and prevent food shortage in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facilities were presented at the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA) Oko-Oba Agege Lagos by Dr. Patricia Pessu, the Executive Director of Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI).
Pessu who was represented by Dr. Olatilewa Oladuntan, the NSPRI Zonal Coordinator said in her remarks that NSPRI was an agency in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with the mandate to conduct research.
According to her, the agency has a mandate to conduct research, build capacity and disseminate research output in the post-harvest management of agricultural crops produced in Nigeria.
“In an effort to improve the post-harvest handling and safety of agricultural commodities in Nigeria to prevent wastages, our institute is distributing improved postharvest technologies Smoking Kiln, Ice Fish Box, Hermetic Steel Drum.
“We are given it out freely to selected beneficiaries in the postharvest value chain in selected states across geopolitical zones in Nigeria,” she said.
“Smoking Kiln is an efficient technology for drying fish and meat. The use of a smoking kiln ensures high-quality products with permissible polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
“Ice Fish Box is a cold chain technology developed for extension of shelf-life of fresh fish, it is an effective means of handling fish for transportation, distribution, and marketing.
Oladuntan said that the Hermetic Steel drum was an airtight technology developed by NSPRI for the non-chemical preservation of dried crops/products such as grains, pulses, roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, fisheries, and livestock.
She said NSPRI Steel Drum could be used at household/domestic and small-scale storage levels.
“The first phase of the handing over of these technologies to beneficiaries would begin in five states,” she added.
Oladuntan however, urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the items to curb food shortage as over 50 percent of farm produce was wasted during harvest due to lack of proper storage and preservation facilities.
Dr Olalekan Pereira-Sheteolu, the Programme Manager LSADA, in his remarks thanked the federal agency for giving the farmers in Lagos such facilities to enhance their fish farming and businesses.
Pereira-Sheteolu said that the new innovations from NSPRI would help the farmers and the fish farmers preserve their crops and fish to meet up the demand and supply in the society.
“No insect or rodents can penetrate the drums because they are built specially to preserve the crops and other food items,” he said.
According to him, five major fish farmers’ associations benefitted from the gesture in the state.
He said that Lagos State Catfish and Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN), Makoko Fish Processing and Sales Association, Hope Women Fish Processing, Gods time Women Group and Elepe Women Cooperative Agriculture Multipurpose Society (CAMS) were the beneficiaries in the state.
Alhaja Nurat Atoba, the LASCAFAN President, thanked the agency for given the association members facilities that would enhance fish farming in the state.
“I feel happy and elated receiving these items from the government and am sure it will go a long in helping us meet up with demand and supply in the market,” she said.
The gift items were distributed at the LSADA Oko-Oba Agege Lagos to three hundred fish farmers of members of fish farmers associations in the state.
(NAN)