The Federal Government has taken a major step to check the reckless destruction of the country’s forests. The government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has inaugurated a National Task Force (NTF) on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with the regulation on deforestation – free agricultural products and boost the economy.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari who performed the inauguration, said that the inauguration of NTF was a strategic step toward addressing issues in alignment with the EUDR.
Kyari added that deforestation and forest degradation were significant contributors to climate change and biodiversity loss.
The Minister revealed that the EUDR came into effect on June 29, 2023, with a mandatory compliance deadline of December 2024.
He noted that regulation targets commodities associated with high deforestation risks, including timber, soya, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, and cattle, along with derived products such as chocolate, leather, tyres, and furniture.
Kyari stressed that “Only products that are deforestation-free — meaning they have not contributed to deforestation or forest degradation after December 31, 2020 — and are legal according to the domestic laws of the country of origin, will be permitted in the EU market.”
He described the European Union (EU) as a major trade partner, and non-compliance with the EUDR would severely impact Nigeria’s export markets for cocoa, rubber, soya, and timber, which account for 80% percent, 7% percent, 5% percent, respectively of Nigeria’s 523 million Euro export trade to the EU.
He therefore appealed for the extension of the deadline to ensure more countries’ compliance with the regulations of EUDR.
According to him, ‘’The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) comprising all cocoa producing nations at the recently concluded meeting unequivocally called for a two-year postponement of the EUDR deadline. I therefore use this opportunity to join the call for the suspension of the EUDR’’.
Kyari also stressed the importance of collaboration to establish a central national database for traceability and certification, as well as forest mapping and due diligence to ensure deforestation-free products.
He noted Ghana’s progress in mapping 1.2 million farms and preparing to trace cocoa beans from farms to ships. He pointed out that Nigeria would follow suit and avoid lagging in compliance.
The Minister urged the NTF to work with both government and private sector stakeholders, to meet these standards, and to secure Nigeria’s position in the global market.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Temitope Peter Fashedemi, represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Engr. Abubakar Abdullahi stated the Ministry would support the NTF towards achieving its mandate in line with Renewed Hope Agenda in the Agriculture Sector.
The National Task Force’s Terms of Reference (ToR), include; Coordination of relevant stakeholders towards having a national approach on EUDR, Design implementation and funding strategy for National Task Force on EUDR, Review and adopt state plan for Nationwide implementation, Create comprehensive GIS infrastructure for cocoa production, digitization and profiling of all value chain actors and other traceability dimensions, Engage EU on possibility of deadline extension, amongst others.