From Farm to Global Market: NEPC Arms Adamawa Farmers Against Pesticide Export Rejections
For many small-holder farmers in Adamawa, the journey from planting a crop to selling it in the market has traditionally been measured in terms of harvest and income. But as Nigerian agriculture increasingly looks beyond local markets, another question is becoming equally important: Can the produce meet the safety standards demanded by consumers at home and abroad?
That question was at the heart of a recent intervention by the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), which trained 70 small-holder farmers in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State on good agricultural practices and responsible pesticide management.
The capacity-building workshop, which ended on Saturday, was designed to address a problem that has increasingly become a threat to Nigeria’s agricultural export ambitions — the rejection of Nigerian produce in international markets because of excessive pesticide residues.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, NEPC Executive Director, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, represented by the council’s Regional Coordinator, Dr Anani Egon, said the training was aimed at ensuring that agricultural products met domestic and international standards.
The workshop was organised with technical support from the Adamawa Agricultural Development Programme and focused on safe pesticide handling, storage and application, as well as personal safety and environmental protection.
For farmers, these may appear to be technical details. But in an increasingly regulated global food market, they can determine whether a consignment earns foreign exchange or is rejected at the border.
Ayeni expressed concern over the rejection of Nigerian agricultural commodities in the European Union and other export destinations because of pesticide residues.
“Residues, particularly dichlorvos, sometimes exceed permissible limits, resulting in rejection of consignments at border control points,” she said.
The consequences go beyond the immediate financial loss suffered by exporters. Improper pesticide use can contaminate food, soil and ecosystems while creating risks to human health.
“Inadequate knowledge and improper pesticide application could contaminate food, soil and ecosystems, while threatening human health and export opportunities,” Ayeni said.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply about getting farmers to produce more. It is about producing better, safer and market-compliant commodities.
This is where the farm gate becomes crucial.
Ayeni stressed that export success cannot be created at the point where products are packaged for shipment. The foundation has to be laid much earlier — when farmers select inputs, apply pesticides and manage their crops.
“Export success begins from the farm gate. The exporter cannot address every problem related to export rejections,” she said.
The statement captures one of the fundamental challenges confronting Nigeria’s agricultural export drive. An exporter may meet packaging and documentation requirements, but still suffer rejection if the commodity arriving at the border contains pesticide residues above permitted levels.
The NEPC Pesticide Management Project was consequently designed to tackle export rejections linked to pesticide residues while improving farmers’ compliance with international standards.
The council also plans to continue supporting small-holder farmers and processors through capacity building, farm inputs, quality certification and grants.
For Adamawa, where agriculture remains a major economic activity, such interventions could have implications beyond individual farmers.
Dr Ishaya Dabari, the state Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industry, represented by Mr Aliyu Shehu, said the government had prioritised agricultural development and directed relevant partners to implement agricultural programmes across the state’s local government areas.
At the practical level, however, changing farming habits may prove to be one of the most important outcomes of the training.
Mrs Hajara Adamu, an Extension Agent with the Adamawa Agricultural Development Programme, said the programme emphasised safer farming practices and encouraged organic farming as an alternative to excessive chemical use.
“The training is very important to farmers; we emphasised organic farming instead of the use of chemicals,” she said.
She noted that producing crops such as soya beans, groundnuts and sesame seeds organically, while complying with good agricultural practices, could contribute to economic growth and healthier communities.
The message is particularly relevant as Nigeria seeks to increase its agricultural exports. Commodities such as sesame, groundnuts and soybeans can provide farmers with access to larger markets, but that opportunity depends on meeting the standards of those markets.
For the farmers themselves, the training offered an opportunity to connect everyday agricultural practices with the larger economics of international trade.
Mrs Clara Heman, one of the participants, described the programme as educative and beneficial.
The intervention also had a practical component, with beneficiaries receiving farm boots and agricultural spray containers.
Yet the bigger challenge lies in what happens after the workshop.
Training 70 farmers is a useful starting point, but transforming agricultural practices across a state requires sustained extension services, access to safer inputs, quality certification and continuous monitoring. Farmers need not only to know what constitutes good agricultural practice but also to have the tools and incentives to apply it.
For Nigeria, the stakes are high. Every rejected consignment can undermine the reputation of the country’s agricultural commodities and deprive farmers and exporters of valuable income. Conversely, consistent compliance can strengthen confidence in Nigerian produce and open doors to more lucrative international markets.
The NEPC initiative therefore goes beyond pesticide management. It is part of a broader effort to make Nigerian agriculture more competitive by ensuring that quality begins where production begins — on the farm.
Ultimately, the success of Nigeria’s agricultural export ambitions will depend on whether farmers, processors, exporters and regulators can work as one chain rather than as isolated actors. If the lessons from Numan translate into safer pesticide practices, stronger compliance and fewer rejected consignments, the beneficiaries will extend far beyond the 70 farmers trained. They could include consumers seeking safer food, farmers seeking better incomes and a country seeking to turn its agricultural abundance into a more reliable source of export earnings.
