Alliance for Action on Pesticide in Nigeria (AAPN)

Stopped 2 contentious Bills sponsored by CropLife Nigeria, through our legislative memo and media vast reporting. The bills were set to make CropLife Council members and ease entry for pesticide products.

AAPN was made members of the Legislative Technical Committee on Pesticide, to review legislative bills on pesticides; AAPN was also tasked to draft an alternative bill.

Through AAPN advocacy and engagement with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministry has issued a memo to agencies under its ministry on the need to urgently take actions.

In recognition of the works of AAPN, the Federal Ministry of Health worked with AAPN to review and improve the Food Safety Bill 2019, which has now been passed in Nigeria.  (under the amendment in NASS).

On March 7, 2022, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) banned 8 HHPs: Neonicotinoid pesticides as well as Chlorpyrifos active ingredients and variants of Chlorpyrifos-methyl including Blocade, Cortilan, OleoRel, Pyrinex and Reldan 2; for farm use.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in collaboration with HBS and the AAPN organised a public dialogue on the Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Kano and Gombe State. FMARD is committed to taking this training across the regions.

Following hbs and AAPN research advocacy and engagements, NAFDAC not only worked and consulted AAPN in her multi-stakeholder reviews but also took up her recommendations and phased out some HHPs in Nigeria.

On 2nd May 2023, NAFDAC made public its plans to phase out 12 HHPS by 2027.

NAFDAC has also placed an immediate ban on 2 HHPs – Carbofan (2 May 2023) and Paraquat (November 4, 2023).

NAFDAC has also placed a ban on Atrazine on Nov 8, 2023.

AAPN has recently begun her engagement of communities, and sub-national state agricultural officers to increase awareness of pesticide hazards and offer- hands-on knowledge on organic pest control methods. More state governments in Anambra, Kogi, Oyo, Ondo, Kano, and FCT are reaching out to the alliance and hbs for more technical support on pesticide alternatives and increasing sensitization at grassroots levels.

AAPN has also earned the recognition of legislatures in Nigeria and has finalized its alternative Pesticide Control Bill 2023; with the hope of getting a legislative champion to run the course of making it a bill.

Farmers Associations are also reaching out to AAPN in their quest to see organic pesticide products. Groups like the Tomatoes Association of Nigeria, Yam Associations,  and the Cocoa Association are closely engaging AAPN to seek alternatives.

The Federal Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (FMITI) is also engaging AAPN, agrochemical companies and organic pesticide producers in the country to switch to organic pesticides and local manufacturing of pesticides.

AAPN is working with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Cooperation (NAIC) to develop an insurance policy – regulatory risk insurance products to allow agrochemical investors to cover for risks associated with necessary changes in regulations needed to safeguard the people and environment, without securing loss.

AAPN reports have been a major reference source for government decisions on pesticide use and regulations.

AAPN now serves as a technical advisory member of the National Committee on Chemical Management (NCCM) for Nigeria as at March 14, 2023.

AAPN is working with agroecological expert to farm farmers, farming communities and farm associations and extension workers on organic pest management control. Over 100,000 farmers have been directly and indirectly trained by AAPN members.