West Africa’s Food Waste Crisis

West Africa continues to face a significant food waste crisis, with post-harvest losses, particularly in perishable crops like tomatoes, threatening food security and economic stability. Farmers such as Kachollom Silas from Nigeria frequently experience devastating losses, with nearly half of their produce spoiling before reaching markets. In Nigeria alone, post-harvest losses account for roughly $2 billion annually, severely affecting farmer incomes and contributing to the broader food insecurity challenge.

The problem extends beyond Nigeria, impacting neighbouring countries like Ghana. Factors such as inadequate storage, poor transportation infrastructure, and ineffective packaging exacerbate the issue. A lack of access to proper storage solutions means that many farmers sell their crops at suboptimal prices or face significant spoilage during transportation to distant markets.

Efforts to tackle this problem include initiatives like Techno Serve’s Yield Wise program, which promotes the use of evaporative cooling chambers and food processing techniques to extend the shelf life of crops. In addition, climate-smart agriculture techniques are being introduced to help farmers adapt to changing weather patterns and reduce losses. However, despite such efforts, structural challenges persist, and greater regional collaboration and investment in storage and processing infrastructure are needed to significantly curb food waste in West Africa​.

The scale of the crisis underscores the need for a comprehensive approach that includes both technological advancements and policy reforms to support smallholder farmers and reduce post-harvest losses across the region.