A group, Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative, has stressed the need for farmers to adopt organic agricultural practices to boost food security in Nigeria.
Its chairperson, Mrs Janet Igoh, stated this at a sensitisation workshop organised by Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria on National Diploma Organic Agricultural Technology in Abuja.
Igoh also explained that the meeting was in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and stakeholders to portray agriculture in the right perspective so that it would be appealing to the youths.
She regretted that youths lack of interest in agriculture owe much to the tattered appearance of farmers, adding that the development brought the prospect of agriculture low, while organic agriculture prep course that being launched today will create employment.
“There is always a saying, grow what you eat, use your crops or produce as medicine, not medicine as food. Young men and women can become farm managers and can advocate forming cooperative and also helping them seek funds,” she said.
Also, the National President, Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), Dr Jude Obi, said the struggle of the association to bring organic agriculture into mainstream agriculture in Nigeria had been a torturous journey, saying, “we have developed a curriculum for teaching organic agriculture and getting a National Diploma degree.
“Organic agriculture can feed us if everybody tries to produce minimally what he or she consumes, this is why the association is in the forefront of this. We hope that the Colleges of Agriculture and Polytechnics will process this curricula and follow it up,’’ Obi said.
The Technical Advisor to the Executive Secretary, Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr Umar Abdullahi, said organic agriculture was a production that sustained the health of the soil, ecosystem, and people.
Abdullahi noted that organic agriculture relies on the political processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than use of inputs, adding, “we are talking about are fertilisers, chemicals, organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science.”
He said there is need to take care of the environment by adopting appropriate products in protecting the environment, urging that organic agriculture method will cleanse the soil of forbidding use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
“Ecological nature of organic culture is capturing carbon dioxide from the soil thereby improving the environment, conserves energy and save money,” he said.
The Coordinator, EOA Initiative, West Africa, Mr Gbadamosi Oyewole, said organic agriculture is a system, which has all the components of ecosystem working together, and there are a lot of misconceptions about organic agriculture, which some equate to the use of organic fertilisers.
“It encourages crop production, allows for no synthetic agrochemicals, no GMO, no sustainable fertiliser, use of local resources, organic fertiliser, reduced use of non-renewable resources and lower water consumption.”
