ColdHubs has called on African leaders to invest in post-harvest educational management training and promote campaigns on food waste and spoilage.
The media and communication manager, Harriet Ijeomah, said that it is part of the social impact of the organization to reduce food spoilage and waste, especially in perishable produce like tomatoes, peppers, fruits, etc.
According to Harriet, in a year, ColdHubs conducts post-harvest management training at least five times for traders and farmers in markets, IDP camps, and aggregation centers.
The Post-Harvest Management training is an educational programme organized by ColdHubs to educate and enlighten farmers and traders on how best to harvest their produce to avoid spoilage and waste.
She urged the government and international development partners and industry to invest in the sustainable cold chain industry, like cold hubs, to join in the plans to secure food and provide livelihoods to underdeveloped communities.
"Some of these farmers and traders are yet to understand the importance of the cold chain industry towards reducing hunger and their efforts to improve the agricultural value chain."
"Recently, I visited a market in southern Nigeria where we have our cold room, and I noticed two full baskets of spoiled tomatoes." "When I made inquiries, I observed that there are farmers who still transport their perishable goods in rough baskets and trucks," she stated.
Harriet Ijeomah revealed that the ColdHubs innovation has provided refrigerated facilities such as cold rooms and refrigerated trucks that can prevent all these losses from occurring.
"Yet farmers and traders still adopt the old pattern that reduces their income and increases food spoilage," she added.
She also stated that the government should collaborate with Coldhubs and other agritech industries to train more farmers and traders on the importance of embracing cold chain solutions.
