Expert lists health benefits of organic farming

An expert in soil science and land management said organic agriculture has benefits to supply better nutrition, antioxidant contents, improved heart condition, better taste, and building a strong immune system of the citizens.

Dr. Jude C. Obi of the University of Uyo stated this at a virtual presentation on organic agriculture, explaining: “This is rooted, grows and develops on the principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care to achieve a safe and egalitarian global society.”

Obi also added, the ‘heart’ of the practice is the need to feed the world’s growing population; this will sustain and enhance the health of the soil, plant, animal, human, and planet to protect the current and future generations and environment.

He said: “Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of input with adverse effects.”

“Leadership of these countries is either not working hard to ensure that humans within their areas of authority earn a decent life and livelihood, or pretending to be doing that lead to the decision to define measurable indices that will be used to estimate efforts towards ‘normal’ living in nations of the world.”

He, therefore, maintained that the primary requirement for agricultural practice and process is the soil as hydroponics is not yet a viable and popular option, saying, the only available option is to increase production to meet the geometric population growth.

“The Sustainable Development Goals is an endless increase in the amount of synthetic fertiliser, herbicides, insecticide, pesticide and finally genetically modified organisms, GMOs. We have discussed that these have obvious consequences,” he emphasised.