The Challenge

Nigeria loses between $8 and $9 billion annually to post harvest losses mainly due to absence or very limited post-harvest infrastructure at farmgate and in rural communities (as stated by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development on August 11, 2022). These losses mean lower food quality, increased food insecurity, and lower incomes for millions of SHFs.

The Innovation

CropBank is constructing the last-mile infrastructure needed to tackle food waste, improve farmer fortunes, and transform agriculture in Nigeria and beyond. They are building storage and processing facilities at farmgate in dozens of locations throughout Enugu, Benue, and Cross River states in Nigeria. These storage facilities, known as “Banks,” make it more efficient, accessible, and transparent for farmers – 60% of whom are under the age of 35 – to manage, store, and monetize their produce. Banks can store 30 to 40 tonnes of product and can be constructed in approximately one week, using retrofitted cargo containers that utilize ambient aeration to extend the shelf life of grains and nuts.

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