Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has Set up the National Task Force (NTF) on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to ensure Nigeria’s comply with the regulation on deforestation free agricultural products and boost the economic.
The minister who Spoke at an event held at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abuja recently, said that the inauguration of NTF was a strategic step toward addressing issues in alignment with the EUDR.
Kyari added that deforestation and forest degradation were significant contributors to climate change and biodiversity loss.
The Minister went ahead to explained that the EUDR came into effect on June 29, 2023, with a compulsory compliance deadline of December 2024, noting that regulation targets commodities associated with high deforestation risks, including timber, soya, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, and cattle, along with 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 then pleaded for the extension of the deadline to ensure more countries’ compliance with the regulations of EUDR.
He said “the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) comprising all cocoa producing nations at the recently concluded meeting unequivocally called for a two-year postponement of the EUDR deadline. I therefore use this opportunity to join the call for the suspension of the EUDR’’.
