The International Trade Centre (ITC), an agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, has commenced a field assessment in Benue State to address challenges affecting the export of Nigerian cowpea and sesame to international markets, particularly the European Union.
The intervention, being implemented in partnership with the Federal Government, is aimed at strengthening the two value chains, from production and aggregation to processing and export. Cowpea, commonly known as beans in Nigeria, and sesame are among the agricultural commodities with significant export potential.
The ITC delegation, led by Dr Alexandra Rutikanga, visited farmers and other stakeholders in the state on Monday to assess production and post-harvest practices and identify gaps affecting the quality and exportability of the commodities.
Rutikanga said Benue and Nasarawa were selected as part of Nigeria’s Southern Guinea Savanna agricultural zone because of their importance in cowpea and sesame production, adding that the programme also covers Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and parts of Zaria.
She said the assessment became necessary because Nigerian cowpea and sesame exported to Europe, Japan and other international markets had faced challenges linked to pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits.
“Actually, that is the problem because sesame and cowpea exported abroad to Europe, Japan and other countries have some issues to do with pesticide residues,” Rutikanga told journalists, expressing optimism that some farmers were already reducing their use of chemical inputs and adopting organic alternatives.
She said the one-year programme would combine partnership-building and needs assessment to strengthen local capacity and promote sustainable production, adding that the exercise would cover farmers, aggregators, processors, cleaning companies and exporters.
An official involved in the export component of the assessment, who requested anonymity, said the project was designed to address restrictions affecting Nigerian cowpea and sesame in foreign markets, particularly the EU, with pesticide use from production through post-harvest handling identified as a major concern.
“Basically, the project is aimed at lifting the ban on Nigerian cowpea and sesame in the foreign markets, especially the EU markets,” she said, adding that the team would return to selected farms closer to harvest to collect samples and conduct further checks.
The chairman of the Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria, Benue State Chapter, Charles Iordye, welcomed the intervention, saying farmers were eager to improve production and gain stronger access to international markets.
He disclosed that while Benue farmers did not export directly, buyers from Turkey, China and the United States regularly sourced sesame from the state.