News in brief:
– At the WACEE conference TGI Group’s Yosola Onanuga emphasised the need for Nigeria to adopt a circular economy in agriculture to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and tackle post-harvest losses.
– She highlighted successful examples like TGI’s rice milling operation in Kebbi while urging collaboration between stakeholders and government policies to drive sustainable practices.
At the 12th West African Clean Energy and Environment Conference (WACEE) in Lagos State, TGI Group’s head of sustainability, Yosola Onanuga, stressed the importance of a circular economy in agriculture and food production.
She promoted the practice’s many advantages, including improving resource efficiency and reducing waste. Nigeria suffers from underutilising natural resources and its human capital, two things it has in abundance. The country’s post-harvest loss is also very high, reaching about 50% in perishable crops like tomatoes.
According to a press release, Onanuga advised that it was time for producers to transition from a linear economy to a circular one that leaves nothing to waste.
“[It] requires significant investment, but the long-term economic and environmental benefits are immense” she conceded.
The company has successfully implemented circularity in its business model, prioritising more resource recovery and ensuring that every part of the process adds value. For example, its rice milling operation in Kebbi State efficiently transforms by-products into energy.
Onanuga added that TGI Group aligns its practices with Nigeria and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for sustainable business operations.
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders in the region to discuss environmental challenges and look into solutions. They also focused on how government policies can play a big part in encouraging more private-sector players to take up circular models.
The adoption of a circular economy in Nigeria’s agriculture and food production sector holds immense potential for addressing food security.
Organic waste from crop production can be converted into compost or bioenergy, creating a closed-loop system that reduces dependency on synthetic fertilisers and fossil fuels. Similarly, agricultural residues such as rice husks or maize stalks can be processed into packaging materials or animal feed, thereby generating additional revenue streams for farmers. This approach not only enhances resource efficiency but also mitigates challenges such as land degradation, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with unsustainable agricultural practices.
With the country’s increasing urbanisation and growing population, initiatives such as urban farming, precision agriculture, and agro-waste recycling can help integrate circular principles into food systems.
Empowering smallholder farmers with training and resources to adopt circular practices can enhance their productivity and resilience against climate change. It creates opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship, especially among youth.
