Covid-19: Emerging Opportunities and Positive Fallouts in the Postharvest Milieu in Nigeria

It is increasingly becoming an acceptable line of thought in the academia that outside the factual daunting challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures which in most instances include restrictions in many countries there are no positive fallouts as well as lesser studied opportunities. 96,000 respondents comprising farmers, marketers, processors, consumers and transporters in the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria were subjects for this survey whose broad goal is to look into effects of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The study revealed that in some ways postharvest actors were able to make good the pandemic and its containment measures. Inter alia, family labour became abundant leading to considerable reduction in the cost for labour for some postharvest activities. Sourcing for inputs from immediate and neighboring communities by producers and selling directly in these communities improved their financial and economic health; neighborhood corner shops and businesses that deal in food commodities thrived. Increased family intimacy is a key social benefit which came with the restrictions. Coping approaches adopted during this time include the following amongst others: consumption of more staples, reduced protein consumption, skipping and rationing of meals and increased use of leftovers. It was concluded that understanding the shifts in food preferences and consumption patterns, embracing technology-intensive mechanisms for increased efficiency, developing alternate marketing and sales channels and facilitating alternative workforce for the agro-food supply chain are ways the sector can maximize these opportunities post pandemic.