Hidden in Plain Sight: The Overlooked Grain Dryers Feeding a Nation

The Zaria–Damau Road in Kaduna State, Nigeria, is remarkable for its uniquely smooth and low-traffic nature, with only a few motorists passing through. It stretches about 20 kilometres to the next town. During the dry Harmattan season, the road transforms into a long carpet of outdoor grain-drying systems. Smallholder farmers lay out their grains on tarpaulins, or sometimes directly on the cleared tarmac. It is an overwhelming sight, which I witnessed while working with smallholder farmers in Kaduna for two years.

This is not just grain drying — it is an entire food system operation out in the open, yet largely unnoticed.

These roadside grain dryers are feeding a nation with methods passed down through generations. Yet, this kind of practice is rarely mentioned in countless food system transformation agendas. The resilience and ingenuity of the grain dryers are barely acknowledged, as policies and reforms tend to focus on modern technologies and innovations — solutions that may never reach these people.

While formal markets and players receive most of the attention, these informal networks of stakeholders process and move large volumes of staple foods from farms to tables. They operate within a system built on social trust, traditional knowledge, and direct cash transactions — rather than formal contracts, certifications, or digital payments.

During the pandemic lockdowns, when formal supply chains were under strain, these informal networks of smallholder farmers kept food flowing into urban centres, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability.

The food systems e-course reinforced the observations I have made as a technical advisor: vulnerable food system actors receive minimal support despite bearing maximum risk. Development initiatives typically focus either on field production or consumer nutrition, often neglecting the middle activities where smallholders capture value.

These roadside grain dryers illustrate both the vulnerability of our food systems and their hidden potential. Despite minimal support, changing weather patterns, and economic challenges, they have continued to feed an ever-growing population.

Imagine what they could achieve with just a few practical solutions: solar dryers, community storage facilities, or improved market connections. These interventions could increase efficiency, improve quality, minimise post-harvest losses, and reduce pest and disease infestations along the chain.

Their success directly impacts food prices, availability, and ultimately the health of the entire food system.

Sometimes, the most powerful solutions are not sophisticated technologies but simply paying attention to the people who have been feeding us all along. It is therefore imperative to recognise that actors like the roadside grain dryers of Kaduna State are worthy of targeted support within our food systems.

As part of my ongoing work, I am committed to highlighting these unnoticed food heroes in policy discussions and in designing financial products that truly reach them. However, change needs more voices.

Now, over to you: what invisible food heroes do you see in your own community that deserve more recognition? And what small, practical steps could make their work easier while strengthening our food systems?