The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has inaugurated the National Task Force (NTF) on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), aimed at ensuring Nigeria’s compliance with the regulation on deforestation-free agricultural products and enhancing the economy.
Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the Ministry’s Director of Information, stated that during the recent inauguration event held in the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abuja, the Minister emphasised that establishing the NTF represents a strategic initiative to tackle challenges associated with the EUDR.
Kyari highlighted that deforestation and forest degradation are major contributors to climate change and biodiversity loss. He disclosed that the EUDR took effect on 29 June 2023, with a mandatory compliance deadline set for December 2024.
The Minister pointed out that the regulation targets commodities linked to high deforestation risks, including timber, soya, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, and cattle, as well as derived products such as chocolate, leather, tyres, and furniture.
Kyari stressed that “Only products that are deforestation-free — meaning they have not contributed to deforestation or forest degradation after December 31, 2020 — and are legal according to the domestic laws of the country of origin, will be permitted in the EU market.”
He described the European Union (EU) as a crucial trade partner, emphasizing that non-compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would significantly impact Nigeria’s export markets for cocoa, rubber, soya, and timber, which collectively account for 80%, 7%, and 5% of Nigeria’s €523 million export trade to the EU.
He consequently appealed for an extension of the deadline to facilitate compliance among more countries with EUDR regulations.
He pointed out that the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), representing all cocoa-producing nations, recently convened and unanimously called for a two-year postponement of the EUDR deadline.
“I would like to take this opportunity to echo the call for the suspension of the EUDR.”
Kyari also emphasised the necessity of collaboration to establish a centralized national database for traceability and certification, along with forest mapping and due diligence to ensure the production of deforestation-free products.
He highlighted Ghana’s advancements in mapping 1.2 million farms and their preparations to trace cocoa beans from farms to ships. He stressed that Nigeria must follow suit to avoid falling behind in compliance.
The Minister urged the National Task Force (NTF) to collaborate with both government and private sector stakeholders to meet these standards and secure Nigeria’s competitive position in the global market.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashedemi, represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Engr. Abubakar Abdullahi stated that the Ministry would support the NTF in achieving its mandate in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda in the Agriculture Sector.
The National Task Force’s Terms of Reference (ToR), include; Coordination of relevant stakeholders towards having a national approach to EUDR, Designing implementation and funding strategy for the National Task Force on EUDR, reviewing adopting state plan for Nationwide implementation, Creating a comprehensive GIS infrastructure for cocoa production, digitization and profiling of all value chain actors and other traceability dimensions, Engage EU on possibility of deadline extension, amongst others.
