FG inaugurates committee to boost palm oil traceability, export

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, has inaugurated the National Palm Oil Traceability Framework and Inter-Agency Committee to strengthen palm oil production, rebuild consumer trust, and drive exports.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, Kyari, who was represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the committee will address issues of adulteration, poor processing, and substandard packaging in Nigeria’s oil palm sector.

He said the committee would act as the engine room for the traceability system, coordinating efforts across federal and state government agencies.

He also extend it to the private sector, farmers’ cooperatives, processors, market associations, development partners, and donors.

“The establishment of a National Traceability system for palm oil is a clear demonstration of our determination to modernise agricultural value chains, enhance global competitiveness, and promote responsible production and sourcing, throughout Nigeria’s oil palm sector,” Kyari said.

“Traceability is essential for boosting consumer confidence and upholding product integrity.

“It also helps to eliminate adulteration, enforces compliance with national and international quality benchmarks, strengthens the competitiveness of our palm oil in key industries such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.”

Kyari said the committee would operate under the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS).

“Nigeria must not only produce for local consumption but also for export in order to boost the country’s revenue,” he added.

In his welcome remarks, Iwara Edet Bassey, director of the federal department of agriculture, said the initiative aims to build a comprehensive National Palm Oil Traceability System that captures production, certification, value, and supply chain data.

Kenechukwu Onukwube, programme manager, oil palm at Solidaridad Nigeria, said the organisation has borne the responsibility to midwife a process that has, first, opened the consciousness of people to the need for a traceability system for our oil palm in Nigeria.