Lakaji plans distribution hub for fresh foods, vegetables

Lakaji Development Alliance, a private sector-led coalition, is set to launch a distribution hub for fresh foods and vegetables in the first quarter of 2017.

 This will address the issue of wastage in the distribution channel of perishable goods in the country. The country lost about 50 percent of fresh foods and vegetables due to poor channel of transportation and distribution from the farmlands to the markets.

“We are planning to establish park houses and distribution hub for fresh foods and vegetables, so that vegetables can stay as fresh as possible and also for a longer period of time,” Henrii Nwanguma, executive secretary, Lakaji Development Alliance, said in an interview with BusinessDay.

“Lakaji with some of its members are focusing attention on developing the non-existence cold chain in the country. We are working on the entire value chain by doing the characterisation of the 20 or more fruits and vegetables,” he said.

According to Nwanguma, farmers put in a lot of efforts to farm and yet lose about 70 percent of the produce due to poor transport system. He stated that if farmers can get their produce to the market with better transport system, they would be more competitive.

Cold chain is the supply chain that is focused on handling the temperature sanctity of perishable produce.

Currently, the Lakaji corridor is said to be Nigeria’s busiest transport corridor facilitating the movement of million tonnes of goods per year and accounting about 60 percent of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Lakaji corridor targets 10 states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina states respectively and the Jibiya route. It is also a vital channel for food supplies to neighbouring countries in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin.

“At the heart of the park house is conditioning. The gas and solar systems will be the heart of fresh food trade particularly for export,” he added.