The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has expressed deep concern over the widespread ignorance among Nigerians regarding food safety regulations. In a recent interview with BusinessDay TV, she highlighted that many citizens lack awareness about the functions of agencies tasked with ensuring food safety and pesticide regulation.

Adeyeye stated, "First of all, we are ignorant in this country. We are very ignorant. We don’t—we don’t read. We don’t understand." She elaborated on NAFDAC's regulatory responsibilities, particularly emphasizing the agency's role in overseeing processed and semi-processed foods, while clarifying that it does not regulate fresh produce sold in markets.

"From farm to fork, there are many organisations, there are many agencies that are involved. From farm to fork," Adeyeye explained. She pointed out that fresh agricultural products, such as oranges, fall under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture, which has the primary responsibility for these items.

Despite NAFDAC's limited scope regarding fresh produce, Adeyeye underscored the agency's crucial role in the safe use of pesticides. NAFDAC is responsible for approving and regulating pesticides, and it collaborates with the Ministry of Agriculture to train farmers on proper pesticide application and the timing for harvesting crops after treatment.

The NAFDAC chief noted that a significant challenge lies in the literacy levels among farmers, which she estimated to be around 56 percent illiteracy in Nigeria. This lack of education can lead to the misuse of pesticides, as some farmers may incorrectly believe that using more of a chemical will yield better results. "Sometimes our people don’t understand. And they think the more you put, the better," she remarked.

To combat this issue, NAFDAC's Veterinary Medicine and Allied Products Directorate offers training to farmers and stakeholders on the correct usage of pesticides, including adherence to instructions provided on product labels. However, Adeyeye acknowledged the limitations of NAFDAC's reach, stating, "But we cannot go to one million farmers in Nigeria, I don’t know how many millions we have. NAFDAC cannot do that. It is the Ministry of Agric that should be doing that."

She reiterated that while NAFDAC has a responsibility to assist in educating farmers about pesticide use, the Ministry of Agriculture holds the primary obligation for such training. Adeyeye's comments come in the wake of ongoing concerns regarding food safety, the misuse of agricultural chemicals, and the prevalence of unsafe products in the Nigerian market.

As NAFDAC continues to carry out enforcement operations against products deemed unsafe for consumption, Adeyeye emphasized that food safety is a shared responsibility that spans various stages of the food supply chain, involving multiple government agencies with distinct regulatory roles.