By Juliana Agbo, Abuja

Coalition Against Paraquat (CAP) has called on the Federal Government  to de-register and prohibit the use of paraquat use in the country and come up with alternatives to prevent an adverse effect on farmers.

The coalition comprising professionals from diverse disciplines in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), made the call in Abuja at a dinner with concerned citizens.

The call was against the backdrop of a research conducted on paraquat,  a widely used herbicide in Nigeria, which revealed that its toxicity is injurious to human and environmental health.

While highlighting the alternatives to include, glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, diphenyl ether, aryloxyphenoxy-propionate and cyclohexanedione, the coalition said these alternatives would save the farmer, consumer and the environment from its toxicity.

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, the National President, National Association of Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers, Prof. Simon Irtwange, said while there are short and long-term negative effects of paraquat toxicity on human health, restricting the use of paraquat in the country has been a major challenge.

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He said about 167 literatures from leading scientists from across the world have confirmed that the herbicide is injurious to human life, hazardous to aquatic life, exacerbates environmental degradation, causes pollution, and endangers the sustainability of the ecosystem.

While noting that 32 countries have banned or de-registered paraquat, he said China that is responsible for 80 per cent of the total exports to the world is now prohibiting the use and sales of the herbicide.

Speaking on the prohibition of paraquat use in Nigeria,  the IITA explained that the de-registration of paraquat in Nigeria is the quickest way to save a multitude of current users from preventable death as well as to protect our environment and secure Nigeria’s future.

IITA while explaining that paraquat is found in agrochemical companies, agro dealers’ shop, open markets, said there are no requirements or strict regulations for the inclusion of safety additives in commercial paraquat formulations.

Chairman Board of Trustees, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN,  Murtala Nyako, strongly recommended that the federal government through the appropriate agency should de-register the importation and prohibit the distribution, sale, and use of Paraquat in Nigeria.

“Our aim is to protect the environment, maintain its integrity and sustainability for production by the next generation of farmers in the farming communities”, he said.

Also speaking, the President, Croplife Nigeria, Mahmood Tauhid, said they have since initiated and proposed to National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ban paraquat and initiate a gradual withdrawal of the product through a 4-5 year moratorium which will achieve two objectives.

“NAFDAC have accepted our proposal and already issued a statement on that effect confirming a moratorium of to December 31, 2024 after which paraquat will be out of the Nigerian market”.

The draft bill is already with the committee on agriculture of the Federal House of Representatives chaired by Hon Muntari Dandutse”, he said.