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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stated that the regulation of veterinary medicines, veterinary vaccines, pesticides and agrochemicals, animal feeds, animal feed additives and feed supplements and their uses are essential towards achieving food safety and food security in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated this at a virtual meeting with stakeholders in the sector.
In a statement signed by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Adeyeye said that regulatory activities regarding these products are currently being reviewed.
Acoording to the Director-General, NAFDAC is committed and willing to collaborate with all and sundry on all activities that will ensure food security and food safety in the country.
‘’It is time for stakeholders to embrace the efforts of the government agencies towards effective regulations to achieve a giant stride in food safety in Nigeria,’’ she said.
Adeyeye noted that the agency will continue to ensure that food available for consumption is safe, wholesome and of the right quality as entrenched in NAFDAC Act Cap N1 LFN 2004, reiterating that in fulfilling this mandate, NAFDAC is adding impetus to her regulatory activities through industrial outreach and collaboration with stakeholders and fostering synergy within her technical directorates to attain a seamless regulatory process.
“To this end, this year’s stakeholders’ engagement was designed to encourage active participation by technical directorates to adequately address all the grey areas and to achieve a robust interaction,” the Director-General said. Series of actions taken in combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was listed to the participating stakeholders.
Adeyeye also informed the gathering that the formulation of veterinary antibiotics has been reviewed and should not contain more than two actives.
She encouraged the participants on the use of effective biosecurity and engaging in hygienic and sanitary practices on their farms.
The Director-General noted that engaging in such practices will lead to the production of healthy food from animals’ origin.
“Anti-Microbial Resistant (AMR) residues and other health risks can also be reduced in our agricultural produce to ensure that the food in circulation will not cause harm or illness to consumers while also enhancing international trade,” Adeyeye said.
She made reference to the additional measures that have been put in place by NAFDAC to strengthen the regulation of veterinary products, pesticides, and animal feeds.
“These measures are there to ensure a safer feed for a safer food of animal origin in the country,” She said.
She added that the recent modalities taken to review the packaging and presentation of pesticides and agrochemicals are aimed at achieving its safe and responsible use, stressing that the risk-based GMP assessment of manufacturing facilities, especially the veterinary pharmaceuticals was introduced to achieve global best practices.
“The emerging trend of events in global food safety has revealed that the safety of food and wellbeing of humans directly and indirectly depend on animal health and the environment.
‘’This involves a multi-disciplinary approach that should be effectively explored. The agency is already working and willing to work more with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) both at Federal and State levels on all activities and processes in the food value chain,’’Adeyeye stated.
While sensitising stakeholders on Veterinary Medicines and Allied Products (VMAP), the Director-General stressed the need for compliance to the NAFDAC regulatory requirements, including benefits of adherence to global best practices such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Storage Practice (GSP), Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), amongst others, to help prevent contaminations.
She reiterated the need for effective self-regulation among members, asking for a strengthened and sustained collaboration with stakeholders toward a more effective regulation and active involvement in regulatory activities.
Stakeholders that attended the annual engagement with the include the Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN); Nigeria Veterinary Medicines Association (NVMA) and the Association of Nigeria Veterinary and Allied Industries (ANVAI).
Others are the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN); Commercial Millers; Feed Industry Practitioners Association of Nigeria (FIPAN); Feed Millers selected for HACCP implementation programme and Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON); t)manufacturers of pesticides and agrochemicals; importers and marketers of pesticides and agrochemicals; NAIDA, Crop Life Nigeria; All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN); and importers of veterinary drugs and vaccines and local manufacturers of veterinary drugs.