Sesame stakeholders shocked at mycotoxin

In tie standing, RMRDC Dr. Negedu speaking on mycotoxin.

·       4.5 billion exposed to aflatoxin

·        $750 million losses to grains in Africa

·       Nigeria has no legislative  control

·       Farmers refuse to off take aflasafe

Many stakeholders at the sesame seeds training and awareness raising on best agronomic practices to attracting market and ensuring food safety were yesterday totally perplexed at the devastating effect of mycotoxin on both human and animal just as 4.5 billion people are said to be exposed to the bacteria, thereby causing one ill health or the other with Nigeria having no specific regulation to ensure control.

Sesame seeds,  Nat. Secretary, Mr. Titus Abdul receiving certificate of participation.

All these were highlighted in the paper presented on mycotoxin contamination's in agriculture and food commodities impacts, viable option and opportunities by Dr. Anthony Negedu of Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC) last week at the board room of the establishment to stakeholders.

The atmosphere in the boardroom caught cold as sesame seed stakeholders quietly listened as Dr. Negudu coughed out the need for more awareness creation, and measures to checkmate the menace of these diseases occasioned mould bacteria and the negative impacts on both the human and animal lives as mycotoxin fungus has been identified to be able to survive in a temperature above 280 degree.

Cross Section at the Sesame stakeholders meeting held at the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC)

Dr. Negedu quoting FOA said that 25% of the world crops including basic foods have been contaminated by mycotoxin with about  one billion tons being lost annually, added that “ more than 4.5 billion people in developing countries may be chronically exposed to aflatoxin in the food diet according to World Health Organization ( WHO) report of 2004”

The scenario become hopeless when Dr. Negedu pointed that Nigeria through the ministries of Agriculture and Health has not been able to present to the National Assembly a bill requesting for an act on standard regulation particularly for this purpose, also stressed the need for mycotoxin hospital equipment for effective control in human bodies.

He advised that people should be able to check their mycotoxin status just like any other diseases saying “ the mycotoxin utmost concern to agriculture, trade and health are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin, zearalenone, trichothecenes sterigmatocystin, citrinim and patulin”

Cross Section at the Sesame stakeholders meeting held at the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC)

Meanwhile both the Director General/ CEO, Dr. H.D Ibrahim of RMARD and President of the Sesame seed Association of Nigeria Alhaji Sherif Balogun have advised  farmers to embark on massive production of the crop based on its economic  and health advantages through high demand locally and internationally.

The RMRDC DG said that his council was particular about establishing a plant which has necessitated a partnership with one private industry at Abaji FCT for the purpose of ensuring sesame seeds processing into other derivatives for both local and international markets . 

According to Dr. Ibrahim “ in pursuit of its promoting local utilization of agricultural raw materials in Nigeria, the council is collaborating with an investor (Dantata Foods and Allied Products) to establish sesame seeds processing plant in Abaji, FCT. 

The plant will process sesame seeds into various products such as oil, snacks and other confectioneries. In order to sustain the plant, the council in August, 2017 procured 2.5 tonnes seeds of improved varieties of sesame from National Cereal Research Institute, Badeggi and distributed to farmers in the FCT and other neighboring states. This is in addition to over 150 tons of improved seeds procured and distributed for commercial production by out grower in Nigeria over the last ten years”

The National President, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun commended the RMRDC for all its intervention programme for the crop pointed the present level of yield per hectare could be improved upon with best agronomic practice saying the sesame seeds’ demand was daily increasing in the international market based on its health benefit advantages.

Sherif Balogun said sesame seeds has brought more foreign exchange earnings into the country in the recent time more than cocoa export saying  over 434 million dollar can be added into our economy yearly only from the produce pointed that it was a heat tolerant crop, and very adaptable to many states in the country. 

Cross Section at the Sesame stakeholders meeting held at the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC)

Farmers were however grateful to this gesture while testifying to the high yield the improved seeds given for multiplication have produced thereby asking for more government assistance based on the challenges facing agricultural productivity in the country.

In another development, a source from the one of the states has revealed that farmers have refused to off taker the aflasafe the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has distributed to them through its regional offices.

Findings revealed that farmers have declined the off take of the input which was meant to give protection to their planted cereal varieties from aflotoxin infection as a source suggested the need for more awareness creation for acceptability.