Bauchi: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Bauchi State office, has announced plans to inaugurate an intensive media campaign to raise awareness among agricultural chemical users and sellers.
Alhaji Hamis Yahaya, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC in Bauchi, hinted this in an interview on Tuesday.
He said the campaign had become imperative with the onset of the rainy season.
He says the campaign educates marketers on the importance of procuring genuine and quality products.
“Part of the programme will also address key issues such as the proper storage and display of agricultural chemicals in markets.
“Exposing chemicals to sunlight can degrade their quality and cause harmful reactions.
“Direct sunlight can lead to loss of efficacy, and interaction with heat may pose serious health risks,” he explained.
Yahaya emphasised the need for grassroots education on best practices and the consequences of improper disposal of chemical containers.
“We want to educate sellers to the extent that they, in turn, will inform buyers how to use the chemicals properly, strictly following the instructions on product labels.
“To ensure broad outreach, NAFDAC plans to partner with the Bauchi State Ministry of Information for effective information dissemination.
“We are adopting various communication channels, including radio stations, to reach wider audiences, especially farmers in rural communities,” he added.
The coordinator also mentioned that a sensitisation exercise had been conducted in partnership with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) at the Soro Weekly Market in Ganjuwa Local Government Area.
He said the exercise targeted major marketers and buyers and generated valuable feedback on local farmers’ use of agricultural chemicals.
The coordinator said NAFDAC also met with the Forum of Agrochemical and Pesticide Dealers in the state to discuss the registration of manufactured products.
“We are encouraging Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to come forward and register their products with NAFDAC so they can operate legally and safely,” he added.
