Stakeholders seek tougher action against dangerous agrochemicals

The Alliance for Action on Pesticide Nigeria (AAPN) has called on the  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to protect Nigerians against dangerous agrochemicals. Prof. Simon Irtwange, the co-founder of AAPN, while speaking recently in Abuja said that “these dangerous substances are routinely […]

The Alliance for Action on Pesticide Nigeria (AAPN) has called on the  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to protect Nigerians against dangerous agrochemicals.

Prof. Simon Irtwange, the co-founder of AAPN, while speaking recently in Abuja said that “these dangerous substances are routinely and unknowingly handed out to farmers through the distribution of agricultural inputs by organisations such as WOFAN, ThriveAgric, Nuru Nigeria, the CBN Anchor Borrower program and trade associations.

Simon Irtwange stated, “While the intention behind the distribution is to support farmers and increase productivity, the reality is far more dangerous,” adding that “this is not a matter of good intentions gone wrong – it’s a matter of public safety.”

According to the AAPN, Nigerian farmers and agro-based companies spend about $400 million on pesticides annually and over 65 percent of active pesticide ingredients used in Nigeria are classified as highly hazardous, and over 80 percent of what is distributed to smallholder farmers are banned in other countries like the EU and US.

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Prof. Irtwinge warned that “these chemicals used in Nigeria’s food production system by constituency projects, branded as agricultural support, farmer groups and associations, and philanthropic donations, are distributed through weak regulations, lack of farmer training, no monitoring systems and poor labelling and are used without precautions and distributed without accountability.”

An environmental toxicologist and policy advocate, Mr Victor Fabunmi, called on the regulatory agencies (NAFDAC and FCCPC) to step up their games.