As World Food Day 2026 has just passed, we continue to reflect on its theme: “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.”
In present-day Nigeria, as citizens grapple with tough economic realities, we are witnessing a disturbing trend — farmers innovating negatively just to produce more. Some now use harmful chemicals to accelerate crop growth, strange fish-boosting feeds for rapid fish farming, and unwholesome feeds for cattle and livestock.
The effect stains the entire food chain, endangering the humans who eventually consume this meat, crops, and vegetables. In some cases, it exposes consumers to serious health risks, including cancer. We often label these items as “fake products,” but in truth, they are real farm products altered at the point of planting or breeding.
What is more shocking is that some sellers deliberately buy spoilt meat or crops from desperate farmers, clean them up, repackage them, and boldly bring them to the open market for sale. Recently, a friend told me how he unknowingly purchased a watermelon that looked ripe on the outside but was completely unripe inside. Sadly, these experiences are becoming common.
At neighborhood markets and supermarkets, consumers now pay more money for smaller quantities of food that still pose health threats. This is not fair in any way, and it simply does not make sense.
We, the consumers, look forward to better production and consumption pathways. We demand ethical farmers — those who truly desire development, who prioritize the right process over quick profit, and who possess integrity and a genuine sense of innovation.
This is also the time to report these farmers and sellers once we identify them or their products. This is one major way to trim down this ugly harmful practice.The Consumer Protection team should make it a monthly practice to storm these markets and supermarkets to check the safety and authenticity of farm produce.
