Sulemana Issifu, Director of the Research Centre for Climate Change and Food Security, has issued a stark warning that ongoing illegal mining activities could lead to widespread of food contamination and that of crops. Speaking in an interview, he highlighted that many communities involved in illegal mining are also significant producers of food, raising concerns about polluted river bodies and soil impacting crop quality.
Issifu emphasized the critical need to address these mining operations to prevent contaminated food from entering the market. He explained that crops can absorb heavy metals, and recent research revealed that several of the top ten food-producing areas are prone to contamination from illegal mining, putting the food system at risk.
“If you consume 100 grams of corn from these areas, approximately 6 grams could be polluted,” he noted, underscoring the potential health risks associated with contaminated produce.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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