The World Trade Organization (WTO) has officially launched a one point two million dollars standard trade
development facility in Nigeria aimed at enhancing food safety and related standards.
The standards trade development facility is part of a global initiative designed to reinforce food safety, as
well as the capacity for animal and plant health in developing countries by promoting the adoption of good
practices.
Director-General of the WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gave assurance that the facility would play a crucial
role in building the capacities of Nigerian farmers, enabling them to produce agricultural products that meet
international export standards.
Okonjo-Iweala, however, said despite Nigeria’s huge potential in the production and export of Cowpea and
sesame, the rejection of the two products remains a huge challenge owing to poor transportation and
storage of the agricultural products to other parts of the world.
