NAFDAC solicits stakeholders, public cooperations to rid country of hazardous pesticides

By Aderogba George

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is soliciting the cooperation of stakeholders and the general public to rid the country of hazardous pesticides.

The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said this in a Statement issued to newsmen by its resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, on Sunday in Abuja.

According to her, pesticides are applied both indoors and outdoors for the management of pests, vector-borne diseases, and for crop protection.

Adeyeye said that pesticides are sometimes impregnated in textiles, paints, carpets, and treated wood to control pests and fungi.

She said what was worrisome was the toxicity associated with the misuse and abuse of pesticides as it affected food safety and food security.

According to her, the toxicity of pesticides is managed through stringent regulatory activities to reduce severe health implications on humans, crops, and the environment.

She disclosed that this could be achieved through awareness and continual sensitisation of stakeholders on the dangers posed by these pesticides.

Adeyeye said that the dangers posed by pesticides were of immense concern to the agency and that there had been recent concerns from stakeholders about this dangers

“The report of the study conducted by Heinrich Boll Foundation; a Non-Governmental Organization, that claimed that 40 per cent of pesticides used in Nigeria had been banned in the EU.

“There was also an alert received from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), cautioning on the possibility that the European Union and United Kingdom were exporting banned Neonicotinoid Pesticides to Nigeria and other poorer countries.

“Emphasis was placed on Chlorpyrifos and its variants due to their harmful effects on humans, animals, beneficial insects, and the environment.

“The mandate of NAFDAC as established by Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 is to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, detergent and others.

“This necessitated the review and analysis of the list of registered pesticide and agrochemical active ingredients in the NAFDAC Registered Product Automated Database (NARPAD) vis-à-vis actives banned, non-approved.

“The outcome of the review was shared with stakeholders at a three-day virtual stakeholders’ engagement held on the 22nd, 24th, and 29th of November 2022,” she stressed.

Adeyeye said that the core function of the agency of safeguarding the health of the nation was so paramount to the agency.

She disclosed that the reviewed meeting focused much on the proposed phase-out/ban of these active ingredients and it had in attendance, proponent holders of marketing authorizations and NGOs.

Others, she mentioned in the statement, were All Farmers Association of Nigeria, CropLife Nigeria, Nigeria Agro-Input Dealers Association, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as research institutes.

According to her, at the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Pesticide and agrochemical importers and manufacturers would be advised to institute stewardship plans such as Post Marketing Surveillance and research in their companies.

Adeyeye stated that NAFDAC would  collaborate with research institutes in the conduct of research and scientific data generation on pesticides to enable the agency make evidence-based decisions and policies.

She said that NAFDAC would also intensify Post-Marketing Surveillance nationwide, adding that there would be continual sensitization and education of relevant stakeholders on the safe and responsible use of pesticides.

The D-G disclosed that NAFDAC would  engage with other sister agencies like the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

Other organisations the agency would engage with are the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service.

She said that the engagement was to ensure synergy in the regulation of pesticide and agrochemical products.

The NAFDAC boss said that this is in addition to the Ban of Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos, and Atrazine with effective dates from 1st January 2024, 1st November 2024, and 1st January 2025 respectively.

She said that the agency had also initiated the action plan for the ban/phase-out of 12 active ingredients and the reclassification of four others.

The D-G said that the availability of alternatives in the country were put into consideration to ensure that stakeholders, most especially farmers, will not be affected by the decisions taken.

(NAN)