Abstract:
This article focuses on small-scale food processing enterprises (SSFPEs) as one of the important measures for national development and addressing food security challenges, particularly in Nigeria. The roles, challenges, prospects and measures of SSFPE’s development in Nigeria were discussed. The need for food processing following the extent of food losses and wastages in Nigeria was emphasized. Efforts made at ensuring food security in developing countries, with particular reference to Nigeria were also discussed. The contributions of engineering in enhancing food processing and productivity in Nigeria in the areas of mechanization of food processing unit operations, development of new and existing technologies, design and development of machinery and systems for processing and preservation of different agricultural produce of high target were also discussed. This will facilitate the achievement of the technical roles of food processing. SSFPEs play important roles in the economy of a developing country, particularly in terms of employment creation, income generation, post-harvest losses reduction, food preservation, value addition, improvement of food safety and nutritional quality, increase in shelf-life of a product, and act as training grounds for entrepreneurs before they invest in large scale enterprises. SSFPEs in Nigeria are faced with significant challenges that compromise their ability to function and to contribute optimally to the economy. Financial constraints and lack of management skills are the major constraints, among others. The long-term effect in the economic and national development can be achieved through the development of small-scale food processing techniques, and these culminate to rapid food processing and industrialization. In view of this, it is recommended that governments and non-governmental organizations should encourage and facilitate the development of SSFPEs either by funding or regularly organizing seminars for potential small-scale food enterprises’ operators on how to plan, organize, direct and control their businesses.
