Dike Onwuamaeze
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, along with critical stakeholders like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has commended the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for securing approval of a new work proposal for the development of a group standard for root and tuber crops flours such as sweet potato and yam respectively.
They believed that Nigeria has strengthened its position in global food standards development after securing international approval for a new standard on root and tuber flours, a breakthrough expected to enhance food safety, boost agricultural exports and unlock new opportunities in the global gluten-free food market.
The approval was granted recently at the 49th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC49) in Geneva.
Oduwole described the achievement as a landmark success that reflected Nigeria’s expanding leadership in the development of international food standards.
She commended SON’s technical competence and strategic engagement in global standardisation processes, noting that the achievement would support the federal government’s economic diversification agenda through improved product quality, expanded market access and increased competitiveness for Nigerian agricultural products.
Commenting on the landmark achievement, the Director General/Chief Executive SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, said that the monumental achievement underscored Nigeria’s leadership in global food standards and agricultural advocacy.
Okeke, who lead Nigeria’s delegation to Geneva, said that by championing this unified standard, Nigeria is paving the way for enhanced food safety, consumer protection, and the harmonisation of regional trade for critical staples food like yam and sweet potato.
He said: “This milestone is a proud moment for Nigeria and the entire African agricultural landscape. A massive win for African agribusiness as Nigeria triumphs at Codex CAC49.”
He added: “Roots and tubers such as sweet potato and yam are vital to food security and smallholder livelihoods across Sub-Saharan Africa. Historically, the lack of harmonised international standards has created massive hurdles for local producers trying to access global export markets.
“According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the proposed international standard will strengthen consumer health protection, improve regulatory systems, facilitate fair practices in international food trade and reduce post-harvest losses.”
Okeke said that the commission observed that root and tuber crops, including yam, cassava and sweet potato, remained staple foods for millions of people worldwide and are increasingly gaining commercial relevance because of the growing global demand for gluten-free products.
Stakeholers believed that the absence of an International Codex Standard for these commodities had limited trade opportunities and described the approval as a significant national achievement and evidence of the country’s active contribution to global food governance.
The FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA) also applauded Nigeria, noting that the initiative would promote harmonised food standards across Africa, strengthen food control systems and expand regional and international market opportunities for root and tuber products.
Speaking in the same vein, the President of the Mycotoxicology Society of Nigeria, Professor Charles Adetunji, lauded the development, describing it as an important contribution to global food safety and science-based international standard-setting.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Gambia Standards Bureau, Dr. Ernest Aubee, congratulated Nigeria and SON, expressing confidence that the country would continue to provide leadership in the development of international food standards.
Analysts believed that the approval places Nigeria in a strategic position to influence future global standards for indigenous agricultural commodities while encouraging greater investment in processing, value addition and export of root and tuber products.
