The Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR) has raised concerns over the sale of Atrazine in Nigeria — a herbicide banned in many countries due to claims it “castrates” and “feminises” men.
CEFSAR alleged that the product was being hawked from vehicles in Ekiti State and called on NAFDAC to take urgent action.
Via its X account, CEFSAR wrote: “Happening now in Ijero Local Government, Ekiti; a @NafdacAgency banned toxic agrochemical, ATRAZINE, is being sold from the boot of cars, and hawked by daily labourers. Atrazine is a hormone disruptor; it stimulates excess production of female hormones in men.
“Tag NAFDAC now!!”
Now, the herbicide has reportedly been seen in Ekiti, according to CEFSAR.
According to the website of the Centre for Food Safety, “Atrazine is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it interferes with the hormones that regulate the development and functioning of all our bodily systems.”
It adds: “Atrazine is also extremely harmful to the environment, with impacts to a wide range of plants and animals. Its harmful impacts on amphibians and fish are particularly well documented, with reduced reproductive capacity and reduced chances of survival.
“Even very low levels of atrazine can impair sexual development in tadpoles, leading to hermaphroditism and demasculinization, and induce chemical castration in adult frogs.”
