Scientists at the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) have introduced an innovation — tomato wine — to tackle Nigeria’s persistent post-harvest losses and enhance farmers’ incomes.
The institute said the initiative was developed to convert excess tomatoes into wine, reducing wastage from bumper harvests and creating new value chains for smallholder farmers.
According to NIHORT, the tomato wine project offers farmers a sustainable alternative to market gluts by transforming surplus produce into a shelf-stable beverage with commercial potential.
The project is supported by HortiNigeria, a programme funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT), Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and KIT.
The initiative has been displayed at agricultural fairs, including the 2023 Agro Food Fair in Lagos, to promote awareness and drive market adoption.
Stakeholders say the innovation proves the role of research-driven solutions in turning agricultural challenges into profitable ventures and advancing Nigeria’s horticulture value chain.
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