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…Oyo State To Benefit From $7.8 Million FARM+ Global Initiative As Akande Pushes Safer Agricultural Practices, Improved Food Safety And Stronger Access To International Markets
Dr. Adebowale “Debo” Akande, DBA, CMgr, FCIM, Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness and International Cooperation and Development, Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and Director of Partnerships for Delivery at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has reaffirmed the critical importance of international collaboration in promoting safer agricultural practices, strengthening food safety and improving the global competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural products.
Dr. Akande disclosed this following his active participation in the global engagement of the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management Plus (FARM+) Programme held in Thailand, a high-level follow-up to an earlier strategic planning meeting convened in Abuja.
The FARM+ Programme is a major global initiative supported by financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), with a reported funding commitment of $7.8 million. The programme is designed to reduce the use of highly hazardous pesticides, promote improved agrochemical management practices and strengthen sustainable agricultural value chains across participating countries.
According to Dr. Akande, the Thailand engagement provided another strategic opportunity to advance Oyo State’s agribusiness development priorities through his dual responsibilities at OYSADA and IITA, while connecting the State’s agricultural stakeholders to international efforts aimed at improving food safety, protecting human health and promoting environmentally responsible farming.
A major focus of the discussions, Akande noted, was how to tackle the underlying factors responsible for the persistent rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports in international markets. These include concerns relating to pesticide residues, food safety standards, poor compliance with import requirements and weak traceability systems.
He highlighted disturbing reports indicating that a significant proportion of Nigeria’s food exports face rejection at international borders, underscoring the urgent need for stronger compliance with global standards and improved agricultural production practices.
Dr. Akande also drew attention to growing concerns about unintentional acute pesticide poisoning in Nigeria, stressing the importance of reducing exposure to hazardous agrochemicals and strengthening awareness among farmers, input dealers, processors and other actors across the agricultural value chain.
The FARM+ initiative, he explained, is expected to contribute significantly to addressing these challenges by promoting safer alternatives, responsible pesticide management, integrated pest management (IPM) and practices that protect farmers, consumers and the wider environment.
For Oyo State, the initiative presents far-reaching opportunities to strengthen agricultural productivity while ensuring that farming practices meet evolving health, safety and environmental standards.
Through structured engagement with farmers, agrochemical users, processors, exporters and other agribusiness stakeholders, the programme will help promote better knowledge of pesticide application, safer handling and storage practices, integrated pest management and compliance with stringent export market requirements.
These interventions are particularly relevant as Oyo State continues to pursue a bold agribusiness development agenda under Governor Seyi Makinde — an agenda that strategically links agricultural production with processing, value addition, private sector investment and both domestic and international market access.
Improved pesticide management and strict adherence to food safety standards, Akande emphasized, could help reduce risks to public health, minimise avoidable export rejections, build consumer confidence and enhance the ability of Nigerian agricultural products to compete favourably in international markets.
The initiative also reinforces the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, research organisations, development partners, farmers and private-sector operators to address persistent challenges affecting agricultural production, food safety and trade.
Akande’s participation in the Thailand engagement reflects the growing importance of international partnerships in addressing agricultural challenges that extend beyond farm-level production to encompass public health, environmental sustainability and global agricultural trade.
Through the phenomenal system builder’s responsibilities at OYSADA and IITA’s Partnerships for Delivery Directorate, Dr. Debo Akande continues to engage with cutting-edge global initiatives that connect agricultural research, development programmes and practical, scalable solutions for farmers and agribusiness operators.
The FARM+ initiative provides a robust platform for advancing knowledge exchange and promoting approaches that reduce dependence on highly hazardous pesticides without compromising effective crop protection and agricultural productivity.
For Oyo State, translating these global discussions into practical, farm-level interventions will be critical in ensuring that farmers and agribusinesses can adopt safer production methods, meet market requirements and benefit from emerging opportunities in the agricultural sector.
Ultimately, the Thailand engagement underscores the need to balance increased agricultural production with the protection of human health, environmental sustainability and the quality of food entering both domestic and international markets.
As Nigeria seeks to strengthen its agricultural export performance and expand opportunities for agribusiness investment, initiatives such as FARM+ offer a clear framework for addressing pesticide-related risks while supporting more sustainable and commercially viable agricultural value chains.
For Oyo State, the expected benefits lie in translating international cooperation into improved practices at the farm level, stronger compliance throughout the value chain and greater confidence in the safety and quality of agricultural produce from the Pacesetter State.
The success of the initiative, stakeholders agree, will depend on sustained collaboration, effective implementation and the ability to equip farmers and agribusiness stakeholders with the knowledge, technology and institutional support needed to adopt safer, more sustainable and internationally competitive agricultural practices, a mission Dr. Debo Akande continues to champion with distinction.
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