A Gombe-based agronomist, Dr. Joseph Kaltungo has advised farmers to shun application of harmful pesticides in preserving grain.
Kaltungo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Gombe.
According to him, the Federal Government through its relevant agencies has banned use of hazardous chemicals in grain preservation.
He said the measure would protect Nigerians against harmful effects of such chemicals and improve public health.
The agricultural expert said indiscriminate application of hazardous chemicals posed significant risks to human health, and result to severe health implications.
He listed some of the hazardous chemicals to include Actellic dusts; Actellic liquid, rat killers and Phostoxin, otherwise called bomb, adding that grains containing such chemicals have inherent dangers on human health.
Kaltungo also advised vegetable growers to desist from spraying pesticides a day before harvest to avoid food poisoning and safeguard public health.
On alternative storage techniques, Kaltungo recommended use of polythene bag, drums and other containers to preserve grain.
“For long term storage, poly bag should be used which could store the grain for two years. The bag is coated with the right chemicals, hence no need for any chemicals to be used.
“For short term storage, use jerry cans or drums, put your grains and properly cover with leather, and lock it up. You can also grind pepper and mix it with the grains, and that will prevent insects.
“Farmers should dry their grains properly before storage; our groundnuts for example have been rejected in the international market because of the poison called aflatoxin resulting from fungal infections.
“Aflatoxins cause cancer and other ailments dangerous to the body and this is caused when groundnuts are not properly dried.
“After drying, don’t store grains on the floor or close to the wall or roof; always use wooden crates, sticks or thick cartons before putting your grains.
“On no account should grains be touching the floor because once it touches the floor, the grains would absorb moisture from the floor and that can spoil grains and result in huge losses for farmers,” he said.
Kaltungo stressed the need for farmers to fumigate silos and warehouses against insects and rodents.
He advised farmers to lock the warehouse after fumigation and until the chemical expired before storing grains, adding that holes around the warehouse should be blocked, and ensure cross-ventilation in the facilities.
He urged government and development organisations to build more community warehouses, noting that more farmers were now producing more than what they could consume.
“So, they need storage warehouses to prevent post-harvest losses through poor storage which often reduce farmer income in rural communities,” he said. (NAN)
