Agriculture
Organic Agriculture combines best traditional practices for modern sustainable farming methods – Don
Dr Jude Obi, Lecturer, Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management, University of Uyo says Organic Agriculture combines best traditional practices with modern, sustainable farming methods for the health of all.
Obi said this during his online presentation on `Organic Agriculture to the Rescue’ organised by the Journalists Go Organic Initiative.
He said that any agriculture practice that is not rooted, grows and develops on the principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care should be jettisoned.
“These principles express the contributions and the vision that organic agriculture presents to humanity for achieving safe and egalitarian global society.
“It sustains and enhances the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible, relies on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.
“Builds on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities, manages in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.
“Any activity, process, practice etc. that does not conform, uphold and fully abide with these principles is clearly not good for the environment and its inhabitants,’’ he stressed.
Obi who is also the Coordinator for the Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture (KCOA) in Africa also highlighted the potentials of ecological agriculture.
“Ecological agriculture generates both economic value and sustainable development which should be seriously promoted to enable Africa exploit this niche.
“The continent should adopt organic agriculture practice due to the fragile environment that pervades it, for instance, the best soils are alluvial deposits found in the major river valleys.
“Most of the soils are difficult to cultivate, although soils in the humid tropics can be quite rich due to the forest cover and the rapid decomposition of organic matter.
“However, intense rainfall leads to the leaching of most of the plant nutrients resulting in the formation latosols/ferrosols, luvisols with some undesirable characteristics’’.
According to Obi, towards the deserts, the soils are sandy and deep but low in humus and quite infertile (arenosols) which give way to xerosols that are quite low in humus.
“Confronting these fragile environments is the episode of land degradation ‘worsening’.
“The summary is that these soils are inherently not resilient and management using synthetic resources and heavy equipment is not sustainable in the long run. It has caught up with us earlier than anticipated.
“These explained the failure of all large farms established in Nigeria and will continue to hunt those that will decide not to listen that organic agriculture is the answer’’.
He said that both researches and practical results have shown that in as much as the conventional system continually increases inputs from soil amendments to herbicides, pesticides, insecticides etc. and finally genetical modifications: organic practices increase benefits, profitability and the entire under presented benefits with time.
Enumerating the benefits of organic agriculture, Obi said it has positive effects on the soil by improving soil condition, lower soil pollution, erosion and flooding, ground water purification, energy efficient, greater flavor and nutrition, helps pollinators and sustains biodiversity.
“Organically grown food and agricultural produce have better nutrition, helps us stay healthy, free of poison, organic foods enhance taste and longer shelf–life.
“Has antioxidant content, improves heart condition, antibiotic resistance, pesticide cutback, stronger immune system, products are poison-free, Lower levels of toxic metals etc’’.
Obi concluded that with the crisis that has confronted humanity from strange diseases, to unfriendly environment, natural disaster, communal clashed, war etc. It became obvious that the starting point is environmentally friendly options and the organic agriculture has taken the lead.
Agriculture
Group calls for improved agriculture innovations to boost food security
Mariam Sanni
A Non Governmental Organization, NGO in the agricultural sector, Self Help Africa, SHA has called for improved agricultural innovations to enhance food security and support farmers.
The Country Director, Joy Aderele made this call during in a media chat at the National Mid-term review for the abatement of short-lived climate pollutants in Nigerian Agricultural sector project held in Abuja .
According to her, a recent learning visit revealed that many innovative solutions exist in institutes but are not reaching farmers.
She added that there is a need for policies that would enable researchers in the agricultural sector to disseminate their innovations more effectively.
She emphasized the need for a protocol that allows researchers to share their work without fear of it being taken over is emphasized.
“So we just returned from a learning visit last week, where we had gone to some institutes, great institutes across the country, and I was surprised and amazed to see that we have a lot of innovation sitting in this institute, professors that have done a lot of things that will even make us not to have any issue a young guy in Nigeria. But this learning or innovation is not trickling down. People don’t know about it. The average farmer in my village does not know about the innovation.
“ So I would say that one thing that the ministry should do is to bring up this protocol that enable researchers in the agri space to disseminate their their data, their innovation freely so that farmers and our food security can improve,” she stated.
Aderele highlighted the major achievement of reducing bush burning among farmers, which improves soil and environmental health.
She explained that the promotion of climate-smart agriculture has led to higher crop yields, benefiting farmers and the community.
According to her, Post-harvest losses have been reduced, with rice residue now used to make briquettes, providing an additional income source for farmers.
The country Director said awareness of climate change has increased among farmers, leading to a shift away from traditional, harmful practices like bush burning.
Aderele revealed that the current pilot project in Benue state is aimed to be replicated across all 36 states and the FCT in Nigeria.
She noted that the organization has worked with over 500,000 small farmers globally, with a focus on making farming attractive to young people.
She added that the organization plans to share the lessons learned from the pilot project to improve farming practices nationwide.
The Director, department of agriculture land and climate change management device, Federal Ministry off Agriculture, Muhammed Bello emphasized the importance of sustainable land management for food security and the government’s goal of ensuring healthy soil for farmers.
He surged that the project on abatement of short-lived climate change pollutants is highlighted as a key initiative to clean up and fertilize the land.
He explained that the collaboration is aimed to replicate the project’s achievements and expand its reach across Nigeria, ensuring that more farmers benefit from healthy soil.
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