In the light of this, the Ekiti State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose has commenced training of farmers, and traders in Shasha Market Ikere Ekiti, on how to regulate the use of pesticides to ensure the safety of farm produces that will be consumed by the public. The combined efforts of the State Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Fountain Agricultural Marketing Agency (FAMA), Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) Crop Life have been pulled together to train the famers and traders in an effort to sanitize the use of agrochemicals on stored farm products.
Declaring the training open, the Hon Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon Kehinde Odebunmi highlighted some of the harmful effects of misuse of agrochemicals to include carcinogenic, teratogenity, mutagenicity, loss of goodwill between traders, consumers and traders or between importers and exporters.
Odebunmi said; "the situation if not properly addressed now, could be a serious matter in future marketing of farm produce. The misuse of agrochemicals and resultant problems is a result of inadequate knowledge among farmers/traders and consumers due to insufficient training and advice.
"Consequently, the State Government has linked up with necessary stakeholders regulating use of agrochemicals to provide strong advocate in the fight to sanitize the farm produce storage and preservation sector, particularly in beans and other grains.
"In view of the foregoing development, coupled with how harmful it can be to our health, the training programme is being organized to bridge the gap between what the grain dealer knew and what they should know on the above subject matter.
"It is my belief that this training will go a long way in alleviating the various health hazards incurred by wrong application of insecticides on stored."
The Hon Commissioner said Shasha market was selected as the venue because it is the primary distribution center for grains to every other marketing outlet in Ekiti State.
While thanking the State Government for choosing Shasha Market as the point of training, the Sheikh of the Market said he has spent 40 years in Ekiti, and he has never seen any administration that has the love of Hausa Community at heart like this administration. He said no commissioner, in the history of the Hausas in Ekiti has ever visited the community. He said the community is happy to have the Commissioner in their midst.
Reacting to the remarks of the Sheikh, Hon Kehinde Odebunmi said his role is defined by His Excellency, Gov Fayose who had tasked all political appointees in the state to be alive to anything that happens within their jurisdictions.
"What we are correcting here today in Ekiti affects the whole nation, but the correction starts from Ekiti. Ekiti is known to be pace setter, that was why Mr. Governor gave this programme express approval when I sought it. Be rest assured that if you have not gotten any agricultural inputs from the state government in the past, you will start getting it now," Odebunmi said.
The ministry of health was on ground to provide free health services to the community.
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