Lagos, May 8, 2023 -The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is to ban three harmful pesticides from the country in the next two years due to their harmful effects on human beings.
Prof Moji, Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, listed these three pestides as Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos, and Atrazine.
While the effective date for the ban of Paraquat is Jan 1, 2024, the effective dates of the ban on Chlorpyrifos, and Atrazine will be Nov.1, 2024, and Jan.1, 2025, respectively.
Adeyeye said that the Agency had also initiated action plan to ban or phase-out 12 other ingredients and re-classify four others.
She said the availability of alternatives for the proposed banned pesticides were put into consideration to ensure that stakeholders, most especially farmers, would not be affected by the decision.
Adeyeye warned that toxicity associated with the misuse and abuse of pesticides was worrisome as it affects food safety and food security.
“The dangers posed by pesticides are of immense concern to the Agency and there have been recent concerns from stakeholders such as the report of the study conducted by Heinrich Boll Foundation, a non-governmental organization that claimed that 40% 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,” she said.
The NAFDAC boss said these outcries necessitated a 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 or restricted in the European Union, other countries or by relevant international organizations.
“The outcome of the review was shared with stakeholders at a three (3) day virtual stakeholder’s engagement held on the 22nd, 24th, and 29th of November 2022.
She said the stakeholders meeting focused on the proposed phase-out/ban of these active ingredients and had in attendance, proponent holders of marketing authorizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Associations (All Farmers Association of Nigeria, CropLife Nigeria, Nigeria Agro-Input Dealers Association etc), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Research institutes, amongst others.
Adeyeye said that at end of the meeting, it was agreed, among others, that pesticide and agrochemical importers and manufacturers would be advised to institute stewardship plans (such as Post Marketing Surveillance and research) in their companies.
That NAFDAC was advised to 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 and NAFDAC should also intensify post marketing surveillance nationwide.
It was also agreed that there should be continual sensitization and education of relevant stakeholders on the safe and responsible use of pesticides.
NAFDAC is also to engage with other sister Agencies (Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Standards Organization of Nigeria, National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service) to ensure synergy in the regulation of pesticide and agrochemical products.
Adeyeye called for cooperation of the public and all relevant stakeholders in the efforts of NAFDAC to rid the nation of hazardous pesticides.
“This can be achieved through awareness and continual sensitization of stakeholders,” she said. (GBN).
