Food safety advocates in Nigeria are calling for stronger oversight of pesticide manufacturers, distributors and regulatory agencies, arguing that farmers and market traders should not bear the entire responsibility for preventing chemical contamination in food.
The Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria made the call following concerns raised by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control over the illegal movement of banned and unregistered pesticides across the country’s borders.
The alliance said enforcement should cover the entire supply chain, including agrochemical shops, informal distribution channels, online sellers and the companies responsible for manufacturing or importing the products.
It also highlighted longstanding concerns about pesticide residues in beans, including the reported use of dichlorvos, also known as DDVP, to preserve produce. The group called for wider testing of vegetables, grains, fruits and other food products to determine whether harmful residues are present and at what levels.
The campaigners said manufacturers should be accountable for their products, distributors for what they sell, regulators for their approvals and monitoring, and government for protecting public health.
Food safety is an important agricultural and economic issue because unsafe chemical use can threaten consumers, damage confidence in locally produced food and create barriers for exporters seeking access to international markets.
The group called for greater investment in research, monitoring and public-health surveillance, alongside practical support to help farmers and food handlers adopt safer production and storage practices.
