Community leaders, local government officials, and health experts in Niger State have raised concerns over the practice of drying farm produce on dusty roadsides, warning that it exposes food to contamination and poses serious health risks to the public.
The warning was issued at a sensitisation programme held in Mokwa and Lavun, titled Against Roadside Drying, organised by the Federal Government in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, and the Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP.
Speaking at the event, a health worker with the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, Nurse Leah Hassana Yisa, described roadside drying as dangerous, noting that crops dried on roads or bare ground are exposed to vehicle dust, stones, and animal waste. She said such contamination could lead to food poisoning, cancer, and intestinal complications, including appendicitis caused by swallowed stones.
Yisa urged farmers to adopt safer methods by using cemented floors and tarpaulins for drying produce. She also cautioned against the misuse of chemicals during storage, stressing that any chemicals applied must expire before the produce is released to the public.
The sensitisation programme targeted farmers from Lavun, Edati, and Mokwa local government areas and focused on the health consequences of poor food handling practices and the need for behavioural change.
Chairmen of Lavun and Mokwa local governments, Alhaji Isah Maali, represented by the Director of Agriculture, Malam Lawan Mohammed, and Hon. Abubakar Usman, the Mokwa council secretary, described the initiative as impactful. They pledged continued support to ensure farmers replicate the lessons learned in their communities to improve food safety practices.
