Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
61
Figure 3.7: Harvested Cassava Waiting for Transport; Full Stem of Cassava Roots
Source: Site Visits.
Figure 3.8: Hired Worker Resting on Harvested Cassava; Carrying Roots to Transport Vehicle
Source: Site Visits.
3.3.4. Measures and Strategies Implemented for On-Farm Loss Reduction in Nigeria
As mentioned during the sweetpotato case study, relevant institutes in Nigeria that work on
reducing losses in root and tuber crops include the IITA, a member of CGIAR, and NRCRI located
at Umudike.
Direct government involvement in cassava production brought the commodity into the limelight
in 2003 through the launching of the Presidential Initiative on Cassava (Sanogo and Adetunji
2008). The goal of this initiative was to promote cassava as a viable export and also develop the
production system to sustain the national demand. Intervention focused on the development of
production, processing, andmarketing of processed products. Also, cassava is now a key element
of the Government’s Agricultural Transformation Action Plan under the Growth Enhancement
Support (GES) Scheme in Nigeria. This programme seeks to lift 20million resource-poor farmers
out of subsistence farming. Fertilizers and seed were made available, accessible and affordable
to farmers at a subsidized rate. Ogun State was one of the 14 States that benefitted from the first
phase of GES roll out in the Southern belt of Nigeria.