The Minister of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, has said that Nigeria is losing high volume of its annual farm produce to damage from pests.
Abubakar made this known at a ministerial press briefing to mark the International Day of Plant Health 2021 in Abuja.
He emphasised the need to take plant health seriously, saying that plants are in constant danger of attack by viruses, bacteria, insects among others.
He said the healthier the plant resources are, the more business value Nigeria can generate from crop and create jobs in the crop value chains.
According to him, one of the challenges in plant health is the uncontrolled use of plant protection products such as the use of sniper and other lethal chemicals to store food products, which he said was dangerous and deadly.
He said President Buhari in demonstration of strengthening plant protection system had assented to Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service Bill to manage and minimise risks to the agricultural economy, food safety and the environment.
