The Netherlands has a policy to integrate Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. Food security and rural development are a top priority in development cooperation. Market inefficiencies in logistics cause post-harvest losses of perishable products. Food waste negatively impacts both food security for local consumers, and the income of many smallholder producers.

Identifying and addressing market opportunities in logistics can improve these issues in food security and rural development. This also provides commercial opportunities for Dutch and local entrepreneurs in developing local markets and foreign trade.

As part of a global study, we mapped the value chains for tomatoes, capsicum and pineapples in Nigeria. Contextual interviews provided an understanding of the value chains, whereas data collection and surveys provided deeper insight into volumes and food losses, prices and value distribution.

The report was submitted to the Netherlands Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria for consolidation into the global study.

The study provided insight into food losses in fruit and vegetables (30-60% depending on the product), formal and informal import and export, investment needs in processing, and export quality requirements.

The report can be shared upon request.