A new study has identified Nigeria as having the second highest rate of Unintentional Acute Pesticide Poisoning (UAPP) in West Africa, with approximately 69% of farmers and agricultural workers impacted annually. The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, notes that Burkina Faso leads the region with an incidence rate of 83.8%.
According to the report commissioned by the Pesticide Action Network (PAN), other West African countries reported lower percentages: The Gambia at 51.5%, Ghana at 39.0%, Senegal at 30.5%, and Côte d’Ivoire at 20.0%. In a broader context, the study estimates that between 402 million and 433 million farmers worldwide experience pesticide-related health issues each year.
Researchers attribute about 11,000 annual deaths from pesticide poisoning globally to unsafe practices and the use of highly hazardous substances. Dr. Sheila Willis, head of International Programmes at PAN UK, emphasized the necessity for farmers to have access to safer alternatives to mitigate health risks.
In Nigeria, stakeholders in the agricultural sector recognize the high exposure rates and are calling for swift government intervention. Donald Ikenna Ofoegbu, Lead Coordinator of the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN), noted that the reported figure of 69% may underestimate the reality, especially given his organization’s findings that indicate 94.2% of smallholder women farmers use synthetic chemicals.
Concerns have also been raised about the increasing rates of cancer in Nigeria, with around 107,000 new cases documented annually. Experts warn that the continued use of carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting pesticides is likely contributing to the rise in health problems including cancer, kidney disease, and reproductive issues.
Professor Simon Irtwange of the Nigeria Yam Export Programme underscored the challenges posed by unsafe chemical usage among farmers, citing factors such as low literacy levels, inadequate training, and the country’s environmental conditions as significant barriers. He advocates for an outright ban on highly hazardous pesticides and a shift towards safer agricultural practices.
