The absence of food safety paperwork has been used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the reason for rejecting Nigerian agricultural produce.
At a workshop on food and feed safety expertise coordination held yesterday in Abuja by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Food and Agriculture Export Alliance (FAEA), and the University of Missouri (MU), the USDA’s Councilor for Agriculture Affairs, Christopher Bielecki, revealed this information.
“I have spoken to producers who face challenges in exporting Nigerian agricultural produce to the global market, including the United States. They have reported a high rate of rejection, primarily due to inadequate documentation on food safety,” the speaker stated.
The USDA official acknowledged that Nigeria is not the only country where agricultural produce is rejected in the United States, but added that his office is trying to make sure that food and agricultural exporters comply with import laws and regulations regarding food safety.
According to Bielecki, raising food safety will benefit Nigeria in a number of ways, including lowering trade barriers, promoting trade in goods and services, boosting GDP, and boosting foreign reserves.
According to Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the ministry is planning to validate the updated National Policy on Food Safety and Quality and introduce the first National Integrated Guidelines for Food-Born Disease Surveillance and Response as part of a concerted effort to guarantee that the nation achieves National Health Security status.
According to him, the updated policy will examine fresh and developing fields that will enhance the nation’s regulatory, enforcement, and data collection framework. It will also lay out a plan for the coordinated monitoring of foodborne illnesses and create guidelines for handling food safety crises.
While emphasizing that ensuring that food is safe, wholesome, and nutrient-dense is just as important to food security as its availability and affordability. In order to support the ministry in its efforts to provide efficient policies, laws, and monitoring mechanisms that guarantee ongoing improvement in food safety standards and practices, Pate called for enhanced collaboration among pertinent agencies.
Nigeria’s dedication to maintaining the highest food safety standards is critical to the nation’s development and well-being, according to Dr. Tayo Aduloju, the Chief Executive Officer (designate) of NESG. He stated that regulatory frameworks can be strengthened to improve the nation’s overall food and feed quality by working together and pooling collective expertise.
According to Aduloju, in order for Nigeria’s agricultural sector to prosper, the nation must have strong institutional, regulatory, and policy frameworks in place to address gaps in food and feed safety. These frameworks must not only improve citizen well-being but also have an impact on Nigeria’s standing in international trade. Aduloju asserted that reforming Nigeria’s food and feed safety systems is a necessary step toward gaining the most out of the AFCTA.
