Nigeria loses 50% of annual crops, establishes six plant clinics

The Nigerian government has said that the country is currently losing 50% of it annual crops production to pest just as she unfolds plan to cushion the effect with the extablishment six plant clinics across the nation.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Mahmood, during a press conference organised by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service to mark the International Day of Plant Health in Abuja.

He explained further that the negative impact of the pest on foods system was great concern to government as plan has been put in place to ameliorate the challenges with plant clinics extablishment.

The minister said, “We must take plant health seriously because plants are in constant danger of attack by viruses, bacteria, nematodes, insects, aphids and fungi.

“These plant health threats undermine food security and increase the vulnerability of livelihoods dependent on crop value chains.

“In Nigeria, we lose 50 per cent of our annual farm gate value to the damages of pests. They cause yield and quality losses, reduce food availability and increase food prices.”

He, however, stated that the government recognised the fact that safeguarding plant health was a national priority and that this led to the establishment the NAQS.

The Agric minister added that the budget for the establishment of the six Plant Health Clinics has been captured, adding that the establishment of the clinics would soon commence.

Minister added that the president Mohammadu Buhari has shown concern with the signing of National Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) bill into law saying “ the President assented NAQS (Establishment) Bill in 2018 to capacitate the agency towards effectively giving protection to National plants as stimulated by World Protection Organization for Nigeria for better management to reduce economic risks"

“Our ability to meet our nutritional needs and dietary preferences hinges on the status of our plant health.

“Healthy plants mean a thriving economy. The healthier our plant resources are, the more business value we can generate from crop agriculture, and create decent jobs in the crop value chains.

“Equally important, healthy plants boost the confidence of our trading partners in the quality and safety of plants and plant products we export.”

He advised Nigerians to take plant health seriously saying plants are in constant danger of attack by viruses, bacteria, nematodes, insects, aphids and fungi.

Speaking at the event the Director-General (DG) NAQS, Vincent Isegbe, said the agency would continue to maintain plants, animals and fisheries' health to meet international standards.

He said many agricultural produce from Nigeria were being rejected by European countries because both the producers and the exporters had failed to package their produce to meet global requirements.

Isegbe said, “Nigeria is blessed with different agricultural produce and we can make money from them when we export them but there is the need to subject the goods to pre-requisite quarantine inspection and certification before dispatch.

“Other countries come to Nigeria and buy our agricultural produce such as ginger, garlic and so on. They go and repackage them, export them with more earnings"