1. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AS A CRITICAL FACTOR FOR REDUCTION OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES BY
PROFESSOR CHARLES CHUKWUMA ARIAHU
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MAKURDI

2. INTRODUCTION
Infrastructures are systems and services used to achieve specified objectives.
Examples of infrastructures include:
- Power supply(Nuclear reactors, hydro and
gas turbines.
- Water supply (potable, process).
- Transport system e.g Air, land (road, rail)
and water.
- Security system (Insurance, guards)
- Health services (Human and Animals

3. - Applied technology (Processing, preservation, storage) - Extension services - Information and communication technology (ICT) - Farm power and machinery - Strategic services (Grain Reserves, NERMA, Soil and Water Conservation) - Feeder industries (Iron and Steel, Cement, Paper Mill) - Fire Service - Technical know how

4. WHAT ARE FOOD LOSSES?
Non availability of food both in quantity and quality for human and animal nutrition.
Food losses could be accidental or non-accidental.
Agents of food losses are presented in Table 1.
Estimated food losses in Nigeria are presented in Tables 2-5.

10. 3.0 METHODS OF MINIMIZING POST HARVEST LOSSES
Dehydration (Sun, solar, atmospheric, vacuum, freeze, fluidized bed, osmotic)
High temperature (Blanching, Pasteurization, Commercial Sterilization)
Low temperature (Chilling, super chilling, freezing e.g plants, high altitude freezing
Fermentation (Acids, alcohol, antibiotics)
Modified- and controlled- atmosphere storage (MAS and CAS)

11. Packaging (Rigid, flexible, semi-rigid, active).
Energy needs ranges from 293MJ/kg (Aluminium) to 22MJ/kg (Glass).
Irradiation (Ionizing radiations e.g Gamma-rays).
Chemicals (Salt, sugar, antioxidants, pesticides).
Oils and spices (Micro-aerophylic and anti-bacteria).
Fermentation (Acids, alcohol, antibiotics).
Products transformation (e.g. Palm nuts to oil, sugar cane juice to sugar cubes)
Concentration (Production of intermediate moisture
foods e.g. jams and jellies).

12. 4.0 ROLE OF INFRASTRUCTURES IN FOOD SECURITY AND THE NIGERIAN SITUATION
This is summarized in Tables 6 and 7.

17. THE FOOD HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
This is presented in Figure 1.

19. PROBLEMS OF FISH COLD CHAIN
Poor road networks
Inadequate and irregular power supply
Traditional means
Unhygienic handling
Poor insulated vans and cold stores
Lack of technical know how
Lack of spare parts

21. CONCLUSION
Infrastructural development is critical for post harvest food losses reduction
The public sector bears the brunt of infrastructural development and administration in Nigeria.
The infrastructures in Nigeria are grossly inadequate and in some cases non-existent.
Inadequate or lack of appropriate infrastructures is largely responsible for huge postharvest losses in Nigeria.

22. Recommendation
Active public-private sector partnership is
advocated for infrastructural development in Nigeria.
Strategic Food Reserves should include other essential food commodities.
Food Processors should have more functional buffer stock programmes to mop farmers excess produce during harvest at economic prices.
Nigeria should as a matter of urgency develop a rail transport system for effective distribution of food commodities and reduction of current pressure on the roads.

23. Federal Government should expedite action on the Bill for Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) Charter for effective monitoring and control of food handling.

24. References
La Gra, J. (1990). A Commodity Assessment ; Methodology for Problem and Project Identification . College of Agriculture, University of Idaho, Moscow. Idaho Press: pp
MOA (2010). A Hand Book of Agricultural Resources. Ministry of Agriculture, Benue State.
Nkama, I., Adamu, D.J.M and Igene, J.O. (1994). Food loss and conservation under arid environment. Annals of Borno Journal, 11 (12):

25. Usman, M. (2009). Reducing postharvest losses through appropriate methods of food preservation : An imperative for actualization of the millenium development goals (MDGs) by the year The Voice of Teachers, 1(2):56-62.