Introduction
The proposed Agricultural Transformation Centre (ATC) at Okuku, Yala LGA, Cross River State, is a 37.8-hectare agro-industrial complex designed under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) initiative. The facility will handle large volumes of raw agricultural commodities, provide bulk storage and processing, and support associated ancillary activities which create significant risks of pest infestations that can undermine productivity, food safety, and environmental sustainability. To address these risks, a Pest Management Plan (PMP) has been developed as a guiding framework. The plan aligns with AfDB’s ISS (2023), World Bank ESS3, and FAO IPM principles to ensure pest control measures meet international standards on resource efficiency, pollution prevention, and reduced chemical dependency, while remaining practical for local application.

The PMP objectives include:

  • Phasing out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) within five years and promoting safer alternatives.
  • Ensuring at least 70% of ATC-linked farmers adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) within three years.
  • Establishing digital pest surveillance and hotspot mapping within two years.
  • Training 5,000 farmers and extension workers in IPM and pesticide safety by year three.
  • Setting up safe storage, handling, and disposal systems for pesticides within two years.
  • Reducing pesticide-related health incidents among farmers and workers by 50% within four years.
  • Institutionalizing a multi-stakeholder pest management coordination committee within the first year.

The PMP provides a framework for sustainable pest control across the ATC lifecycle—pre-construction, construction, operations, and decommissioning. It ensures alignment with AfDB ISS (2023), World Bank ESS3, and FAO IPM principles. Uncontrolled pest infestations and unsafe pesticide use can lead to yield losses, environmental degradation, and health hazards. The PMP provides structured, science-based, and community-inclusive approaches to minimize these risks.

The ATC supports cocoa, rice, cassava, yam, maize, and legumes. Major pests include cocoa mirids, fall armyworm, cassava green mite, yam beetles, rice stem borers, and storage pests such as bruchids. These pests cause significant pre- and post-harvest losses if unmanaged.

The environmental and social consequences of unstructured pest management practices historically used in Cross River State, including stream contamination, biodiversity loss, and occupational exposure of vulnerable groups (women, youth, and farm workers). The PMP sets out measures to minimise pesticide use, restrict highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), strengthen training and PPE provision, and introduce safe chemical storage and disposal. By doing so, the PMP safeguards public health, sustains agro-ecosystem integrity, and protects the ATC’s long-term operational viability and market credibility.

Potential impacts of pests and pesticide use on ATC activities are also detailed. Pests such as cocoa mirids, rice stem borers, cassava mealybugs, yam beetles, maize weevils, and bruchids can cause yield losses of 5–40%, undermining processing capacity and revenue projections. Indiscriminate pesticide use brings risks of residues, pest resistance, and loss of export markets. The PMP therefore balances effective pest suppression with environmental, health, and safety safeguards.

Kindly download the full report below for details, please.

Final Draft PMP_CRSAPZ_ATC_Okuku_cleanDownload