By Ken Kene, Makurdi

A delegation from the International Trade Centre, ITC, has commenced an assessment tour of Nigeria’s key agricultural hubs to reduce excessive pesticide use and develop a roadmap for boosting the production and export of cowpea and sesame.

The mission, led by ITC Agribusiness Official, Dr. Alexandra Rutikanga, visited farms, aggregators, and processing facilities in Benue, Kaduna, and Kano States. Benue, described as Nigeria’s “Food Basket,” was the first stop due to its large output of both crops.

Speaking at a stakeholder meeting with farmers and exporters in Makurdi, Dr. Rutikanga said the goal is to help Nigerian farmers meet international food safety standards, especially EU and Asian requirements on pesticide residue levels.

“Nigeria has the capacity to be a top 3 global exporter of cowpea and sesame. But rejection rates at ports due to high pesticide residues and aflatoxin are costing farmers millions of dollars yearly,” he said.

He added that the tour is focused on Quality, Compliance, and Market Accessibility and aims to “understand challenges from the farm level and co-create solutions that increase yields, protect farmer health, and make Nigerian produce competitive abroad.”

The delegation observed that many smallholder farmers rely on unregulated chemicals and lack training on Good Agricultural Practices, GAP. Poor storage and post-harvest handling were also identified as factors affecting export quality.

Dr. Rutikanga noted that Benue and Nasarawa fall within Nigeria’s Southern Guinea Savanna zone, while Kano and Jigawa are in the Sudan Savanna, and Kaduna in the Northern Guinea Savanna— all mapped for cowpea and sesame production.

He described as encouraging the fact that some farmers are already exploring organic alternatives to reduce contamination.

The ITC team met with over 200 members of Cowpea and Sesame Farmers Associations and women-led cooperatives who are major growers and processors.

The delegation also held talks with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC and NAFDAC on harmonizing standards and creating export-ready aggregation hubs.

A representative of NEPC said the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s push for non-oil exports, noting that “cowpea and sesame can be the country’s next crude oil if quality is harnessed right.”

Comrade Charles Iordye, Benue State Chairman of the Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria, said farmers welcome the intervention and are looking forward to improved output and access to international markets.

Mr. Vitalis Tarnongu, Benue State Chairman of the Federation of Agriculture Commodity Associations of Nigeria, FACAN, and CEO of TERYIMA Nigeria Limited, said farmers are ready to work with ITC to improve yields and reduce dependence on chemical inputs.

Dr. Rutikanga explained that the first phase of the programme will run for one year. It will combine partnership-building with a needs assessment aimed at developing local capacity to sustainably improve cowpea and sesame production for export markets.

For Benue, which produces over 50% of Nigeria’s sesame and a significant share of cowpea, the project is expected to open new export earnings and jobs. Sesame is in high demand globally for oil, confectionery and tahini, while Nigerian cowpea is prized in West Africa and diaspora markets.