The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, has clarified that the agency does not directly regulate fresh agricultural produce sold in open markets.

Adeyeye made the clarification during a recent interview on NAFDAC’s mandate and its role in combating counterfeit and unsafe products. She explained that the primary responsibility for regulating fresh produce, including fruits such as oranges, rests with the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to her, NAFDAC’s mandate focuses mainly on processed and semi-processed food products. She noted that oranges and other fresh produce sold directly by farmers or traders do not fall under the agency’s direct regulatory jurisdiction.

“NAFDAC’s mandate is for processed or semi-processed foods. The oranges you buy in the market, we don’t control the oranges you buy in the market,” Adeyeye said.

However, she pointed out that NAFDAC still has an important role to play in ensuring that pesticides are used safely. Since the agency regulates and controls pesticides, it is also responsible for supporting efforts to educate farmers on their proper application.

Adeyeye expressed concern that some farmers misuse pesticides by applying quantities higher than those recommended on product labels. Such practices, she warned, could leave harmful residues on crops and create significant public health risks.

She attributed the problem partly to inadequate awareness and low literacy levels among some farmers. In some cases, farmers may mistakenly believe that applying more pesticide will produce better results or eliminate pests more effectively.

To address the challenge, NAFDAC’s Veterinary Medicine and Allied Products Directorate conducts visits to farmers and other stakeholders. During these engagements, officials provide guidance on the correct application of pesticides and explain the required waiting period between treatment and harvesting.

Nevertheless, Adeyeye acknowledged that NAFDAC cannot personally reach every farmer in the country, given the large and growing number of agricultural producers. She stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture, which has the primary mandate for fresh produce, should lead widespread farmer education and monitoring efforts.

“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 Agriculture that should be doing that,” she said.

The Director-General also clarified that NAFDAC regulates food products that have undergone processing. These include yam-derived products and other processed staples commonly consumed in Nigeria.

“Yam is NAFDAC, fufu you eat is NAFDAC,” she added, underscoring the distinction between raw agricultural commodities and foods that have been processed or semi-processed.

Her comments highlight the need for greater public understanding of the responsibilities of Nigeria’s regulatory agencies. They also underline the importance of stronger cooperation between NAFDAC, the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers to promote the safe use of pesticides and protect consumers from contaminated food.