Farmers and processors under the Cowpea and Beans Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (C&BFPMAN) say they are switching to organic preservation and integrated pest-management techniques to lift a decade-long European Union ban on Nigerian beans and cowpeas.
The ban, imposed around 2015 over high chemical residues detected in exports — has had a heavy economic toll: about $362.5 million in annual losses from beans alone, and reports that roughly 76% of some Nigerian agricultural consignments are rejected by the EU on safety grounds.
The association’s National Secretary, Sunday Ojonugwa, told newsmen the problem grew out of ignorance and the widespread use of hazardous chemical preservatives, often referred to in local markets as “snipers.”
To change that narrative, C&BFPMAN says it has begun training programmes aimed at more than 29,000 farmers on safer cultivation and organic post-harvest practices. Ojonugwa explained that simple, low-cost organic measures such as neem (dogoyaro) leaf extracts, certain enzymes, and other biological controls can repel weevils, reduce insect damage in the field, and prevent contaminated storage.
The association is also collaborating with bodies including the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and leveraging international trade support to ensure trainees can meet export-grade safety standards. Training started in Lagos and is planned to cascade to states nationwide, forming part of a 2024–2029 push toward integrated pest management across cowpea and sesame value chains.
C&BFPMAN argues that reviving safe exports will not only restore lost foreign earnings but also boost domestic food security: Nigeria currently produces about 12 million tonnes of cowpea and beans annually, a staple both for local consumption and past export markets. The group also urged the Federal Government to revisit the school-feeding menu to reinstate beans as a key source of plant protein for pupils.
Ojonugwa believes the shift to organic, hazard-free production can quickly change perceptions abroad and open markets: “If farmers stop using harmful chemicals and adopt proven organic methods, the bans can be lifted and our export potential regained,” he said.
The association is pressing for faster policy support, wider awareness campaigns and incentives for farmers to adopt safer inputs, steps it says are essential if Nigeria is to reclaim its place in international bean and cowpea markets without compromising consumer health.
