By Mercy Aikoye
The Founder of Davidorlah Farms, Segun Alabi, has called for stricter regulation of agricultural production and food processing in Nigeria, warning that unsafe farming practices and poor traceability could expose consumers to harmful substances and undermine the country’s agricultural export potential.
Alabi urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to strengthen monitoring and enforcement across the agricultural value chain, particularly in the use of agricultural chemicals, fertilisers and artificial fruit-ripening agents.
He made the call while addressing members of the House of Representatives Press Corps during activities marking the 10th anniversary of Davidorlah Farms, themed, “Davidorlah at 10: A Decade of Growth, A Future of Value Creation.”
The agribusiness entrepreneur expressed concern over the increasing use of unsafe practices by some agricultural operators in pursuit of quick profits, noting that such activities posed risks to consumers and could damage the reputation of Nigerian agricultural products in international markets.
He specifically raised concerns about excessive fertiliser application and the use of calcium carbide to accelerate fruit ripening, stressing that the physical appearance of agricultural produce was not sufficient proof of its safety for consumption.
“You will think you are consuming a fruit, whereas you are consuming a poison. Because the level of poison inside you cannot be explained,” he warned.
To promote accountability and consumer protection, Alabi unveiled the company’s new food safety mantra: “If you can’t trace it, don’t taste it,” insisting that food processors must be able to establish the source and production history of their raw materials.
“This is the statement we adopt in our company now. If you can’t trace it, don’t taste it. For companies producing fruit juice, the source of your raw material needs to be verified,” he said.
He noted that the rejection of some Nigerian agricultural exports in foreign markets underscored the need for improved compliance with international food safety requirements, proper monitoring and traceability across the agricultural value chain.
Alabi disclosed that food safety and traceability would feature prominently at the company’s Business Roundtable scheduled for December 17, adding that Davidorlah Farms was strengthening its quality assurance processes to meet the required standards.
He said the company operates an organic pineapple farm and adheres to Good Agricultural Practices, with regular laboratory chemical analyses conducted as part of its efforts towards certification.
As part of its expansion plans, Alabi disclosed that Davidorlah Farms was developing a processing factory expected to be commissioned in 2027. The facility, he said, would have a laboratory where fruits would undergo necessary tests before processing to ensure that only produce meeting prescribed safety standards entered the production chain.
Beyond food safety, the entrepreneur identified poor infrastructure and inadequate processing capacity as major obstacles to the development of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, arguing that the country’s food security challenge extended beyond the volume of food produced.
He lamented that Nigeria loses between 45 and 50 per cent of its agricultural produce annually to post-harvest losses, attributing the situation to inadequate storage facilities, poor transportation networks and limited processing infrastructure.
“The problem of Nigeria today is not an issue of primary production, but the issue of infrastructure. Every year, we lose more than 45 to 50 per cent of what we produce per annum. So, if you’re talking about food security, then more focus should be on infrastructure than primary production. If infrastructure is in place, there will be a reduction in post-harvest loss,” he said.
Alabi called on the National Assembly and other arms of government to prioritise investment in rural infrastructure, storage facilities and agro-processing industries, particularly in communities where agricultural commodities are produced.
According to him, establishing processing factories close to farming centres would reduce wastage, create employment, improve farmers’ earnings and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to produce value-added goods for local consumption and export.
He stressed that the country must move beyond exporting agricultural commodities in their raw form and invest deliberately in processing to maximise the sector’s economic potential.
Illustrating the financial implications of post-harvest losses, Alabi said Nigeria produces approximately 1.6 million tonnes of pineapple annually, noting that losing 45 per cent of the output at an assumed market value of $200 per tonne represented a significant economic loss.
“Every post-harvest waste or loss is a loss of employment. Because if you had added more value to it, you create more jobs,” he said.
On agricultural financing, Alabi called for increased budgetary allocation to the sector, referencing the 2014 Maputo Declaration, under which African governments committed to allocating at least 10 per cent of their annual national budgets to agriculture.
He expressed concern over inadequate funding, arguing that Nigeria’s agricultural allocation must reflect its growing population and increasing food requirements.
“If you are targeting two per cent or three per cent now, if you equate that with the increase in population, you will discover that it cannot match. Government needs to increase budget allocation to agriculture. If it is not well funded, then you have not started at all,” he said.
Alabi said his ambition was to see Nigerian agricultural products gain wider acceptance in international markets, with more locally processed commodities finding their way onto shelves in Europe, America and other global destinations.
He maintained that achieving this would require a combination of stronger regulatory oversight, improved infrastructure, adequate funding, investment in value addition and strict adherence to food safety standards.
