Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Covenant University and development experts have emphasised the need for stronger agricultural research, improved food preservation and more efficient distribution systems to address Nigeria’s persistent food crisis, highlighting the importance of reducing post-harvest losses and making essential food items more affordable.
The call reflects growing concern over the challenges facing Nigeria’s food system, where high production costs, insecurity in farming communities, inadequate storage facilities, transportation difficulties and rising food prices continue to affect the availability of affordable and nutritious meals.
Although Nigeria has significant agricultural potential, the country continues to face difficulties in ensuring that food produced on farms reaches consumers in good condition and at prices households can afford. Addressing these problems requires more than increasing agricultural production; it also requires investment in storage, processing, transportation, market access and research.
Covenant University has previously highlighted the importance of agricultural research and partnerships in strengthening food security. The institution has supported research initiatives involving crop diseases and agricultural productivity, while its academic research has also examined the relationship between agricultural investment and food insecurity.
However, the specific event behind the latest reported call for increased research into food preservation and distribution could not be independently confirmed from the available information. The recommendations should therefore be understood in the context of Nigeria’s wider food security challenges rather than attributed to individual speakers whose identities and statements have not been verified.
Nigeria’s Food Crisis Requires More Than Increased Production
Nigeria’s food crisis has multiple causes, making it difficult to resolve through a single policy or intervention.
Agricultural production remains vulnerable to insecurity, high input costs, climate-related disruptions, limited access to financing and inadequate infrastructure in rural communities.
Farmers require access to quality seeds, fertilisers, machinery, affordable credit and reliable markets to increase production sustainably. In areas affected by violence, insecurity can also prevent farmers from cultivating their land, transporting harvested crops or returning to farms during planting seasons.
Even when farmers succeed in producing sufficient quantities of crops, weaknesses in storage and distribution can reduce the amount of food that ultimately reaches consumers.
This makes the period between harvesting and consumption a critical part of Nigeria’s food security challenge.
Food security exists when people have reliable physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. A country may produce substantial agricultural output but still experience food insecurity when distribution systems are inefficient, household incomes are inadequate or prices rise beyond what consumers can afford.
Research into food preservation and distribution could help address these gaps by identifying practical methods of reducing waste, extending the shelf life of perishable products and improving the movement of agricultural commodities from rural production centres to urban markets.
For Nigeria, the challenge is to develop a food system that supports farmers while ensuring that consumers can obtain essential food items at reasonable prices.
Food Preservation Can Help Reduce Post-Harvest Losses
Post-harvest losses occur when agricultural products are damaged, spoiled or otherwise become unsuitable for sale or consumption after harvesting.
Such losses can result from poor handling, inadequate storage, pests, exposure to moisture, unsuitable temperatures and delays in transportation.
Perishable commodities, including tomatoes, vegetables, fruits, fish and some animal products, require appropriate handling and storage to maintain their quality.
Where farmers lack access to suitable preservation facilities, they may be forced to sell quickly, sometimes at unfavourable prices, or risk losing part of their harvest.
Improved preservation methods can help farmers retain more of what they produce and give traders additional time to transport products to markets.
Depending on the commodity, potential solutions include improved drying techniques, cold storage, refrigeration, better packaging, processing and more effective warehouse management.
For example, drying can extend the storage life of certain grains, vegetables and other products when carried out under appropriate conditions. Refrigeration and cold-chain systems can help maintain the quality of perishable goods during storage and transportation.
Processing can also convert fresh agricultural products into forms that are easier to store and distribute. Tomatoes can be processed into paste, cassava into flour or other products, and fruits into dried or packaged goods.
However, preservation methods must be suited to the particular commodity and local conditions. Poorly managed storage can create food safety risks, while refrigeration systems can be expensive to operate in locations with unreliable electricity.
Research institutions can help identify methods that are technically effective, affordable and suitable for Nigerian farmers, processors and traders.
The benefits will depend on whether these solutions can be adopted on a meaningful scale rather than remaining confined to research projects or pilot programmes.
Better Distribution Systems Could Improve Food Affordability
Food distribution is another important factor in the country’s food security challenge.
Agricultural products often move through several stages before reaching consumers, including harvesting, aggregation, storage, transportation, wholesale trading and retail sales.
Costs can accumulate at every stage.
Poor rural roads can delay the movement of produce and increase vehicle maintenance expenses. Fuel costs can raise transportation charges, while inadequate storage can force traders to sell products quickly before they deteriorate.
Where these problems occur together, the final price paid by consumers may rise substantially even when farmers receive relatively modest returns.
Improving distribution requires coordinated investment in transportation infrastructure, storage facilities, market information systems and supply-chain management.
Better connections between farming communities and major markets could reduce delays and help traders move produce more efficiently.
Warehousing and aggregation centres could allow farmers to combine their output, improve handling and negotiate with buyers from a stronger position.
Digital market platforms may also help farmers and traders obtain information about demand, prices and potential buyers. However, these systems are most effective when supported by reliable transport networks, transparent transactions and accessible communication services.
For Nigeria, more efficient distribution could help reduce avoidable costs between farms and consumers.
It would not automatically solve every problem associated with food prices, since inflation, exchange rates, production costs, insecurity and household incomes also influence affordability.
Nevertheless, reducing unnecessary losses and distribution expenses could form part of a broader strategy to improve access to food.
Covenant University’s Research Role in Food Security
Covenant University, located in Ota, Ogun State, has identified research and innovation as important elements of its institutional mission.
Its Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery supports research across areas that include biotechnology, agricultural development and solutions to wider societal challenges.
The university has also participated in initiatives involving agricultural disease management and crop productivity.
In September 2021, the institution reported that its then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, had called for renewed commitment to food security during a stakeholder meeting focused on cassava viral disease management.
The initiative involved the West Africa Virus Epidemiology project for roots and tuber crops, which works on research and disease management to protect agricultural production.
Crop diseases can reduce yields, damage farmers’ livelihoods and threaten the availability of important food products. Research into disease prevention and resistant crop varieties can therefore contribute to stronger agricultural systems.
The university has also published research examining the relationship between agricultural investment and food insecurity in Nigeria.
A 2020 study available through its institutional repository argued that stronger investment in agriculture was necessary to address food insecurity. It identified constraints including limited access to credit, insufficient farmland, insecurity affecting farmers and gaps in agricultural education.
These research areas demonstrate why universities can play an important role in addressing food security through evidence-based solutions.
However, research must be connected to implementation. Findings need to reach farmers, agricultural extension workers, processors, investors and policymakers who can translate them into practical improvements.
Stronger cooperation between universities, government agencies and private-sector operators could help ensure that research findings inform agricultural policy and commercial practices.
Why Agricultural Research Needs Government and Private-Sector Support
Agricultural research can generate solutions, but turning them into widely available services and technologies requires funding and institutional support.
Universities and research organisations need resources for experiments, equipment, field studies, technical personnel and collaboration with farmers.
Government agencies can support this process by funding relevant research, improving agricultural extension services and creating policies that encourage the adoption of effective technologies.
Private companies can contribute by investing in food processing, cold storage, logistics, packaging and agricultural supply chains.
Farmers and local traders must also be involved in the development of solutions because they understand the practical challenges encountered during production, harvesting and marketing.
A preservation system that works in a laboratory may not be financially viable for a smallholder farmer without affordable financing or access to electricity.
Similarly, a distribution platform may have limited value if farmers cannot reach collection centres or if buyers lack reliable transport.
Research therefore needs to consider not only technical performance but also affordability, accessibility, maintenance and the realities of agricultural businesses.
Public-private partnerships could help spread the cost of infrastructure and make preservation technologies available to more producers.
For these partnerships to deliver results, responsibilities must be clear, funding must be transparent and outcomes must be measured against practical targets.
Food Security and the Cost of Living
Nigeria’s food crisis has consequences that extend beyond agriculture.
Food accounts for a substantial part of household expenditure, particularly among lower-income families. When food prices rise faster than incomes, households may reduce the quantity or quality of meals they consume.
Families may also cut spending on healthcare, education and other essential needs to accommodate higher food costs.
Children and other vulnerable groups can face additional risks when households struggle to obtain a sufficiently nutritious diet.
For businesses, high food prices can increase operating costs and affect demand in the hospitality, food processing and retail sectors.
The effects can also influence wages, household savings and broader economic activity.
Improving food preservation and distribution could help address some of these pressures by reducing avoidable waste and improving the efficiency of supply chains.
However, lower post-harvest losses do not guarantee immediate reductions in retail prices. The final effect depends on market competition, transport costs, supply levels, purchasing power and how savings are distributed among farmers, traders and consumers.
Policymakers must therefore consider food preservation alongside other measures, including improved agricultural productivity, access to credit, rural infrastructure, security and targeted assistance for vulnerable households.
A comprehensive approach is more likely to address the different factors contributing to food insecurity than a strategy focused exclusively on increasing production.
Climate Change Adds to the Challenge
Climate variability and extreme weather events can also affect agricultural output and food distribution.
Flooding can destroy crops, damage rural roads and disrupt transport links. Drought and irregular rainfall can reduce yields, while higher temperatures may affect the storage life of certain agricultural products.
These risks make resilient storage and distribution systems increasingly important.
Research institutions can help identify crop varieties suited to changing environmental conditions and examine preservation methods that remain effective under different temperatures and humidity levels.
Investments in irrigation, drainage, weather information and climate-resilient infrastructure can also help farmers manage agricultural risks.
For food processors and distributors, improved storage and transport planning can reduce the vulnerability of supply chains to weather-related disruptions.
Nevertheless, technology alone cannot eliminate the risks associated with climate change. Effective adaptation also requires investment, reliable information, trained personnel and policies that support vulnerable farming communities.
Nigeria’s agricultural strategy will need to account for these environmental pressures while ensuring that solutions remain financially accessible to smallholder farmers.
What Needs to Happen Next?
The reported call for greater research into food preservation and distribution points to the need for a more coordinated response to Nigeria’s food security challenges.
Universities and research institutions can contribute by developing practical technologies, evaluating existing preservation methods and identifying ways to reduce losses across agricultural supply chains.
Government agencies can support implementation through research funding, infrastructure development, agricultural extension services and policies that encourage private investment.
Businesses can help expand storage, processing and transportation capacity, while farmers and traders can provide feedback on which interventions work under real market conditions.
Progress should be measured through outcomes such as reduced post-harvest losses, improved access to storage, more efficient transport, stronger farmer incomes and better availability of affordable food.
It is also important to distinguish between research announcements and demonstrated results. A proposal or recommendation does not establish that new facilities have been funded, technologies deployed or food prices reduced.
Weng Global could not independently verify the details of the specific Covenant University event referenced in the initial report. Further confirmation from the university or the organisers would be needed to establish the identities of the participating experts, the precise recommendations made and any agreed next steps.
What remains clear is that improving Nigeria’s food system requires coordinated action across production, preservation, processing and distribution.
The country’s agricultural potential can contribute more effectively to national development when farmers can protect their harvests, businesses can move food efficiently and consumers can afford nutritious meals.
For Nigeria, the central challenge is not simply producing more food, but building a system that preserves what is produced and delivers it safely and affordably to the people who need it.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- Covenant University — Professor Adebayo Seeks Renewed Commitment to Food Security in Nigeria, September 13, 2021.
- Covenant University — Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery.
- Covenant University Institutional Repository — Agricultural Revamping via Major Capital Outlay the Antidote to Food Insecurity Challenges in Nigeria, 2020.
