The Federal Government has directed Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other regulatory agencies to strengthen regulatory approach on manufacture, and distribution of unwholesome pesticides in the market for safety lives and to increase agricultural yields.
Director General ,Standards Organization of Nigeria Osita Anthony Aboloma stated this on Thursday in Kano at a one day sensitization program on dangers of using substandard and adulterated pesticides on farm.
The Director General represented by SON Director of Operations, Engr. Felix Onyeado said the increasing circulation of substandard pesticides create a lot of health hazards, loss of investment to farmers and rejection of agricultural export by other countries that the products does not meet there standards.
He explained that a World Health Organisation report indicates that 220,000 people die of pesticide related poisoning annually in developing countries including Nigeria.
“Current worldwide trends shows an increase in the sale of pesticide products that are : substandard (contain contaminated contents or do not contained active ingredients) ; falsified (with false or unauthorized chemical contents) ; false country of origin re-labelled expired stock; illegal , illicit or counterfeit copies of legitimate brands, their patents or trademarks and untested and unregulated by organised criminal gangs,” said Aboloma.
In a remark, Kano/Jigawa Coordinator of SON, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammad said the sensitization which would be continuous would be to educate all stakeholders before embarking on enforcement and arrest of suspected criminals adulterating pesticides.
On his part, Kano state Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Faruk Rabiu Mudi said the awareness is timely as it will benefits the farmers a lot.
Papers were presented at the event that includes Pesticide Good Agricultural Practise and standard enforcement in Nigeria.
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