FG Set To Develop A Framework On Chemical, Pesticide Control

THE Federal government has disclosed that it is working towards developing a framework to tidy up the agrochemical and pesticide business in Nigeria.

It noted that some banned products from use in other parts of the world particularly the European Union have found their way into the Nigerian market due to the absence of a legal framework to curtail the influx and marketing of such banned products.

The permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe stated this in Abuja at the stakeholders’ workshop on agrochemicals handling, marketing, and distribution in the country.

Umakhihe, who was represented by the deputy director of input use and agro farm input support services department, Ishaku Buba, said the ministry is working with the relevant house committee on agriculture to develop the framework.

He noted that the workshop with the theme: “Agrochemicals importation, production, marketing and distribution in Nigeria”, is aimed at safeguarding humanity and the environment in line with global best practices.

He stated that the increase in land under cultivation in the country has been attributed significantly to the use of an agrochemical.

He said: “Despite the importation contribution of the product, some fabrics of the society have devised adulterating the products thereby causing a lot of economic loss to both end-users farmers and the genuine entrepreneurs”.

In his remarks, the Director of the farm inputs support services department, Engr Tunde Adebayo Bello, said the country’s agricultural space is predominantly dominated by peasant farmers who are lacking knowledge about the use of farm inputs particularly agro-chemicals to drive the maximum benefits.

Bello explained that agricultural production in Nigeria faces significant losses due to activities of pests, insect infections, and other diseases.

By Collins Nnabuife, Abuja
https://tribuneonlineng.com/fg-set-to-develop-a-framework-on-chemical-pesticide-control/