The survey assessed the post harvest challenges of small scale farm holder of three different vegetables, tomatoes (Solanium lycorpesicum), bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and hot pepper (Capsicum chinense) in four (4) Local Government Areas namely Danbatta, Bunkure, Kura and Dawakin Tofa of Kano State. The primary data used for the investigation were obtained through the use of questionnaire. One hundred and twenty (120) farmers were randomly sampled and selected for the study; the farming experience of respondent, stage and time of harvest of produce, percentage loss of produce during harvesting and transportation, on-farm storage facilities utilized by respondents and mode of transportation and packaging materials utilized by the respondents were looked into. Investigative Survey Research Approach (ISRA) and descriptive statistics were employed in the analysis of the data. The results obtained revealed that most of the tomatoes, ball and hot pepper farmers experience losses of 10-30% during harvesting and transportation stages. The farmer harvest mostly when they have buyer, harvest at fully ripe stage (90%) and most still use the traditional basket and sacks as their packaging material in conveying produce resulting into massive post harvest losses (62.5%). Theses practices by the farmers often result in reduction of profit and in-availability of these products all through the seasons. Based on these findings, it was concluded that farmers in these areas require proper and extensive training on how to reduce their losses especially through proper pre-harvesting, harvesting and post-harvesting practices like primary processing in times of glut and the introduction of some important easy-to-use technologies that will reduce if not eliminate fruits and vegetables wastages in the areas.

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COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the whole word in several dimensions leaving the fishing communities in the rural areas more vulnerable. A huge proportion of this fishing communities derive their income from the sale of fish that are caught and processed using local smoking equipment. The lockdown occasioned by the pandemic has really made life difficult for this people. In responding to these challenges, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), an agency of the federal government of Nigeria built fish processing facilities for fish farmers and processors in six (6) different locations spread across Niger and Kwara State. The processing centres were constructed as a facility where all the unit operations from receiving fresh fish to packaging of dried fish can be carried out under hygienic condition. The centres were equipped with NSPRI's improved smoking kilns, handling and processing utensils, and packaging materials for the marketing of dried fish. Fish farmers and processors in the various locations were trained on proper handling, processing, packaging, and marketing of their products. This intervention has alleviated the sufferings of the concerned communities and brings about a turnaround in their social economic status. The initiative has also improved community engagement among the fish farmers which has increased their output. They can produce better quality product and sell them to buyers in neighbouring towns. This study demonstrated the key role of government in providing succour for rural communities especially in times of pandemic such as COVID-19 that the world is just recovering from.