Nigerian Stored Products Research Institutes (NSPRI) was established in 1954 to conduct research in all aspects of post harvest handling of agricultural crops and their products, pesticide development, residue analysis and mycotoxin surveys on food items in Nigeria as stated in Decree 5 of 1977. NSPRI was also established to produce low and medium level technical manpower in produce inspection, post harvest handling of food and pest control. Although, her focus before independence was on export crops but her mandate was expanded to include research into local food crops, extension and training. To perform these activities the Institute, apart from its headquarters that is located in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, has the following outstations established on ecological zone basis.

South-South Zone:
NSPRI Port Harcourt, Rivers State
NSPRI Sapele, Delta State

South-West Zone:
NSPRI Ibadan, Oyo State
NSPRI Lagos, Lagos State

Central Zone:
NSPRI Headquarters, Ilorin, Kwara State

Northern Zone:
NSPRI Kano, Kano State
The College of Produce Inspection and Pest Control offers Certificate and Diploma courses and it is located in Kano, Hadeja Road, Kano State.

Vision Statement
To provide adequate management facilities for the handling of Nigeria’s agricultural produce for achieving self-reliance in post harvest loss prevention.

 

Key Achivements

List of mandate Achievements
1. Improvement and maintenance of quality of perishable crops including all roots and tuber crops, fruits and vegetables and other such crops. (a) The development of the use of ventilated yam barn for the storage of fresh yam tubers.
(b) Techniques for preserving cassava roots in most saw dust, trenches to preserve and retard deterioration during storage.
(c) Development of techniques for preserving the viability of fresh cassava stems.
(d) Development of waxes for treatment of fruits and vegetables.
(e) Various technologies for the production of stable forms of tomato, onion, mango, vegetables etc.
(f) Development of technique for the production of dried mango, pineapple, okra, etc.
(g) Seed yam barn development.
2. Improvement and maintenance of the quality of durable crops including cereal grain, pulses, oil seeds from the farm level to commercial level including export. (a) The development of system for storing grains with the introduction of cribs for storing grains on cob and protocol for storing grains in bulk in stores.
(b) The development of the technique for storing grains in Inert atmosphere silos.
(c) The development of the technique and protocol for the maintenance of grain quality during storage in the warehouse.
(d) Improvement of the “rhumbu” for the storage of dry grains in the dry areas of the country to make them fumigatable.
(e) Pesticidal wax
(f) Bio Insecticides for food storage
(g) Production of “Post harvest Research Journal” and advisory books on various aspects of Post harvest handling of crops.
3. Improvement and maintenance of the quality of tree crops including cocoa, kola, palm produce, coffee, cashew. (a) Techniques for pest control in cocoa, cashew and groundnuts.
(b) Techniques for arresting aflatoxin and mycotoxin contamination of produce.
(c) Techniques for producing dried kolanuts.
4. Designing, fabricating and developing post harvest equipment to the pilot plant stage specifically conduct studies in the improvement of food storage structures, primary processing equipment and food packaging. (a) The design fabrication and development of various dryers – solar tray, multipurpose dryer, hybrid dryers.
(b) Production of various coolers for the preservation of fruits and vegetables.
(c) Development of techniques for harvesting, handling and packaging of fruits and vegetables.
(d) The development of technique for storing and extending the shelf-life of seed potato and ware potato by the use of the “Diffuse” light store for potato.
(e) Development of hybrid dryers for primary processing.
(f) Collapsible crates.
(g) Solar tray and multipurpose dryers.
(h) Hermetic packaging of dried products.
(i) Cassavas stem storage.
(j) Development of a system (centre) for primary processing of perishable crops.
5. Improvement in the primary processing methods of meat, fish and related products. a) Dryers for fish, meat and products.
6. Methods to improve the skill and capacity building in post harvest technology through formal training of farmers, industrialists food handlers and inspectors. (a) Establishment of College of Produce Inspection and Post Harvest Technology.
(b) Developed capacity of Agricultural Teachers and Leventis Senior staff.
(c) Developed capacity of Artisans in the fabrication of packaging and storage structures.
(d) Developed capacity of Industrial Training of Students.
7. Developing food standards to improve the quality of food commodities after harvest, which will aid in the marketing of produce. Also conduct studies on the impact assessment of technologies and processes developed by the Institute. (a) Developed standards for cassava and products (gari, flour, pando yam etc).
(b) Standard developed for cocoa, cashew, ground nuts etc.
8. Provision of advice on problems associated with stored products and materials used in storage, pest control, including storage structures, new insecticides new items of equipment and new techniques. (a) Extension of post harvest techniques to NGO’s, CBO’s e.g food handlers.
(b) Trained artisans in dryer construction and utilization.
(c) Trained NGO’s in food preservation.
9. Special studies such as stored products pests, pesticide formulation and residues and mycotoxin survey; and (a) Produced a data base on Nigerian Scientist in post harvest technology.
10. Creating a database for published research findings and human resources directory in post harvest science. (a) Bibliography and abstracts on Nigerian work in post harvest technology.
(b) Developed a data base on external users of NSPRI library.