The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Task Force on the European Union Deforestation Regulation, a pivotal step in aligning Nigeria’s agricultural practices with international standards.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, saying the inauguration of the NTF will also ensure the continued access of Nigerian products to the lucrative EU market.

Kyari underscored the collective effort required to meet the EUDR standards, while emphasizing the urgency of the task ahead.

According to him, “The deforestation regulation by EU entered into force on 29th June 2023 and was given an 18-month implementation period of December 2024.

“As members of the NTF on EUDR, we have an extremely urgent important duty ahead, therefore we can no longer afford to be working in silos,” he said.

He called for unity among all stakeholders, including government and private sector operators, to achieve the set targets, pointing out, “The necessity of updating Nigeria’s forest mapping and establishing a national traceability system across agricultural value chains.

“Mapping of our forest areas was last achieved in 1959 and the need for a national traceability system across our agricultural value chains is of utmost importance,” he added.

He further explained the severe implications of non-compliance, noting, “The loss of the market due to non-compliance with EUDR presents a great threat to the cocoa, rubber, soya, and timber value chains that constitute 80 per cent, 7 per cent, 7 per cent, and 5 per cent respectively of the 523 million Euro export trade.”