ITC begins Benue assessment to boost cowpea, sesame exports

The International Trade Centre (ITC), a United Nations and World Trade Organization agency, has launched a field assessment in Benue State to tackle issues impacting the export of Nigerian cowpea and sesame to global markets, particularly the European Union. This initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Federal Government, seeks to enhance the two value chains, from production and aggregation to processing and export.

Cowpea, also called beans in Nigeria, and sesame are among the commodities with substantial export potential. Dr Alexandra Rutikanga, leader of the ITC delegation, visited farmers and stakeholders in Benue on Monday to evaluate production and post-harvest practices and pinpoint obstacles hindering the quality and exportability of these commodities.

Benue and Nasarawa were selected as part of Nigeria’s Southern Guinea Savanna agricultural zone due to their significance in cowpea and sesame production. The programme also extends to Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and parts of Zaria. The assessment is crucial as Nigerian cowpea and sesame exported to Europe, Japan, and other international markets have encountered challenges due to pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits, Rutikanga revealed to journalists.

She expressed confidence that some farmers are already reducing their chemical inputs and transitioning to organic alternatives. The one-year program will focus on building partnerships and conducting needs assessments to bolster local capacity and promote sustainable production, encompassing farmers, aggregators, processors, cleaning companies, and exporters.

A team member involved in the export component of the assessment, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the project aims to overcome restrictions on Nigerian cowpea and sesame in foreign markets, especially the EU, with pesticide use from production to post-harvest handling identified as a major issue. The team will return to selected farms near harvest time to collect samples and conduct additional tests.

Charles Iordye, chairman of the Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria’s Benue State Chapter, welcomed the intervention, highlighting farmers' eagerness to enhance production and secure stronger access to international markets. He revealed that while Benue farmers do not export directly, buyers from Turkey, China, and the United States regularly procure sesame from the state.