Farmers enjoined to avoid toxic chemicals in preservation
File: Vegetable farmers. Photo: Agro-Nigeria
By Sunny A. David, Awka
The Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with Nigerian Stored Product Research Institute, (NSPRI), Ilorin, has commenced a two-day training programme on post-harvest, loss assessment and grain storage of agricultural produce using safe chemicals.
The training at the Agriculture Development Programme, (ADP), Awka, Anambra State attracted the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Afam Mbanefo, the State Director of Produce, Mrs. Uzoamaka Emeagwali, Consultants and farmers from various parts of the state.
The programme was aimed at equipping trainees on the necessary chemicals for farm produce assessment and preservation.
Declaring the programme open, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Mbanefo stressed the need for farmers to improve on food production through reduction of envenom chemicals that affect the growth of crops and storage of produce, adding that applying toxic chemicals in the farm is enormously hazardous.
Mr. Mbanefo, also called on farmers to have strategies and proper insight in producing, storage, processing and packaging of products.
He commended Governor Willie Obiano, for ensuring that farm produce in various markets are safe and healthy for consumption.
On her part, the State Director of Produce, Mrs. Emeagwali, assured that the training will accord farmers the opportunity to know safe chemicals for storage and preservation, positing that using chemicals like snipers and carbide for preservation is unhealthy to human consumption.
Delivering a lecture, the Director NSPRI, Dr. Pessu Patricia reiterated the need for adequate, storage to save excess crops from damage.