In Nigeria, where fluctuating weather conditions and rising temperatures often cause food spoilage, safe food storage is critical. Here are practical tips to help preserve food and reduce wastage:

• Use Airtight Containers: Storing perishable food items like grains, legumes, and flour in airtight containers helps protect them from humidity and pests, especially in regions with high moisture. Locally available plastic or metal containers with tight-fitting lids can be used to prevent exposure to air and moisture.

• Sun Drying: Sun drying is an eco-friendly method that uses solar energy to dehydrate food without the need for electricity. By constructing local solar dryers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be preserved more efficiently than open-air drying. Locally available solar dryers, which can be constructed using transparent plastic sheeting, wooden frames, and a simple metal frame to hold the trays, allow food to dry faster while being protected from dust and pests.

  • Ideal Temperature: Solar drying requires maintaining a temperature of 40°C to 60°C, depending on the food being dried. This technique is useful for preserving tomatoes, onions, leafy vegetables, and even spices like chili peppers.

• Drying and Smoking: Drying and smoking are traditional and highly effective methods of preserving food, particularly for vegetables, fruits, fish, and meats. Here’s how to do it safely:
  • Drying Method: Spread fruits, vegetables, or herbs in a thin layer on raised racks made of bamboo, wood, or wire mesh. Place them in direct sunlight, ensuring they are covered with a fine mesh to keep insects away. To ensure thorough drying, turn the items frequently. The ideal temperature for sun drying ranges between 30°C to 40°C. This technique works well for items like okra, tomatoes, and pepper, which can be dried for long-term storage.
  • Smoking Method: For fish and meats, smoking provides both flavor and preservation. Use locally available materials such as clay or mud ovens and firewood or charcoal. The smoking process should maintain a temperature between 50°C to 70°C for several hours to achieve proper dehydration without cooking the meat. Fish like catfish, tilapia, and meats like beef can be smoked using this method.
    • Materials for Smoking: Firewood, metal or clay smoking ovens, racks made from bamboo, wire mesh or locally sourced wood.

• Dehydrating Machines:
   In regions with better access to electricity, dehydrating machines provide a reliable way to preserve food. These machines work by circulating warm air around the food to remove moisture. Here are a few options available in Nigeria:

  • Small-Scale Food Dehydrators: Affordable models like the Kenwood FD500 or NESCO Snackmaster can dehydrate fruits, vegetables, and meats at home.

  • Solar-Powered Dehydrators: These are a great option for areas with inconsistent power supply. Solar-powered food dehydrators, such as those available through local agricultural cooperatives, are designed for small-scale farmers and can be used for drying fish, fruits, and vegetables.

• Monitor Storage Temperatures: 
  Given the limited access to electricity in some parts of Nigeria, storing food in cool, dry, and well-ventilated spaces is critical. Traditional storage methods like underground barns or clay pots, which naturally maintain lower temperatures, are effective for root vegetables, grains, and other storable produce. For long-term storage, ensure that these storage spaces remain dry and free from pests.