By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AS food poisoning cases increase among Nigerians, the European Union, EU, and African Union, AU, has partnered with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, to combat mycotoxin.

This was disclosed by the National President, AFAN, Mohammed Magaji during a chat with Vanguard while speaking on how they will engage farmers on better produce preservation.

Magaji said: “The European Union, EU, and African Union, AU, were at our office mainly just to enlighten our members and discuss
research with a view to having a collaboration on the issue of mycotoxin.

“We resolved that we will do a train-the-trainer programme, and often we will be going around the states to train our members, then the states will train their farmers at the local government, and those at the local government will train those at the community and ward levels.

“So at least our members, the farmers should know how to prevent mycotoxin infestation on farm produce.”

Meanwhile, according to the AFAN boss, “Mycotoxin is a very dangerous food disease. We call it food disease, which, of course, as a result of late harvest, especially, if you have finished harvesting the produce, and of not properly preserved if the last rains of the year fall on them, they will still start growing black spots, which leads to mycotoxin infestation, and can be very dangerous, and causes cancer when the produce is consumed by humans.

“Secondly, when farmers apply adulterated agrochemicals, it will lead to mycotoxin issues on the farm produce.

Thirdly, harvesting crops before maturing or before drying the produce, especially, the produce should have moisture contents.”