Banned pesticides in food chain

BASED on a FAO-sponsored test at the National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL), it has been reported that some 40 percent of the 82 food samples tested contained dangerous pesticides that were banned more than fifteen years ago. On the whole, presence of toxins in the foods was found three to twenty times the limit set by the European Union. Against such an ominous backdrop a number of agriculturists have blamed sloppy government monitoring at field level for the use of banned pesticides. But what concerns us is how do the chemicals, prohibited so long ago get smuggled into the country -- and into the food chain on a regular basis?
According to the Director General of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) all of its field offices have been under instructions to take action against sale and use of banned and low-quality pesticides. The question is, in the face of DAE's instructions being sorely missing, what did it do to enforce compliance? The FAO- sponsored tests also shed light on the rampant usage of arsenic, chromium, lead, antibiotic and formalin.
This should be taken as another wake-up call for the government to put stern measures in place for stopping foods from being contaminated. If necessary, the law should be given more teeth and its implementation ensured.
Food chain from production level should be strictly monitored. Smuggling of banned chemicals into the country should be stopped. Finally, producers, sellers and consumers of food items should make a common cause of fighting the malaise which is but ruining health and future of the country.