Agriculture
Africa Not Among 10 World Largest Area Of Organic Land
The Country Coordinator of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria Dr. Olugbenga AdeOluwa, has hinted that no country in Africa is among the ten world largest area of organic land.
Dr. AdeOluwa said this during his online presentation on the Principles of Organic Agriculture practices organized by Journalists Go Organic Movement.
Journalists Go Organic is a Pan African initiative that brings journalists together with organic agriculture and environment experts on how to have a healthy nation and a healthy environment.
He said that low level of technical know-how among stakeholders and policy makers have been part of the major limitations to the development of the organic agriculture sector in Africa.
“Global organic sector was valued at 130 billion US dollars as at 2019, with 72.3 million hectares managed by over 3.1 million producers and yet Africa is still found wanting”.
AdeOluwa, an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil Resources Management, University of Ibadan said organic agriculture contributes a lot to the health of the world.
“The Principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops.
“Ensuring healthy living of both the living and non-living components of the ecosystem is a MUST in organic agriculture.
“This is what you don’t get from conventional agriculture, where ‘you rob Peter to pay Paul’ like the indiscriminate use of harmful agrochemicals without concern for its negative impact on the health of those in the value chain’’.
According to him, `organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which enhances agro-ecosystem health, utilizing both traditional and scientific knowledge.
“It contributes to agro-ecosystem balance or sustenance; protecting native entities, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.
It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account the fact that regional conditions require locally adapted systems.
“This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system’’.
He added that organic production method thus plays a dual societal role: on one hand it provides for a specific market responding to a consumer demand for organic products, and on the other hand delivers public goods contributing to the protection of the environment and animal welfare, as well as to rural development.
He, however, said that journalists need a proper understanding of organic agriculture principles in order to properly address issues in the sector.
“Truly, journalists have great roles to play in taking Nigeria to a higher level and in exploring the several opportunities for mankind within the organic agriculture system.
“A major question is how far can journalists go in proper advocacy for organic agriculture when they don’t have good understanding of the sector?
“So, it is vital that journalists, as the society’s watch dogs and indeed all stakeholders, should be trained and retrained in organic agriculture practices for the health of the world and its inhabitats.
This is one of the reasons for increasing development of organic agriculture all over the world; increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of organic agriculture.
Health considerations, especially, is increasing the demand for organic produce and products.
on her own, the Founder, ‘Journalists Go Organic’ a Pan African Initiative a Journalist per excellent Mrs Ebere Agozie, with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the project was born out of the desire to help curb strange sicknesses ravaging the world today.
This project is to build the capacity of journalists across the African continent not only in the promotion of, and sustenance of, organic agriculture, but in getting them to become organic farmers.
The unique innovation is to work with journalists who are the watch dogs of the society to take the words and benefits of organic agriculture to every nook and cranny of the country.
Since we are what we eat, we can no longer leave the business of our health and that of our environment to farmers alone.
Nigeria must be number one in the drive for organic agriculture in Africa and among the best ten in the world; therefore, we must sit up and work as a team”.
Agriculture
IWMI: Promoting affordable irrigation technologies for smallholder farmers
Mariam Sanni
Smallholder farmers are challenged with erratic rainfall leading to drought spells, crop water stress and eventually reduced growth and yield penalties
Water insecurity is the major risk to smallholder farmers and a major driver for low investments in agricultural innovations
Even when water resources are sustainably available, smallholder farmers are unable to invest in irrigation equipment due to high upfront costs.
Smallholder farmers have limited access to loans and credit facilities even though irrigation usually is a profitable investment.
Promoting affordable irrigation for smallholders involves increasing access to low-cost technologies like drip and sprinkler kits and solar pumps, and supporting them with financial tools like subsidies and credit.
Also the Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) has helped farmers to independently invest in, manage and maintain irrigation equipment, adapting technologies to local needs without relying on large-scale projects, reduces farmers’ reliance on erratic rainfall and leads to increased farm investments (good seed, fertilizers, etc.)
Farmers move from 1 rain-fed crop, to multiple harvests per year, boosting yields, income, and food security
Nigeria and other countries have high potential for solar-based irrigation, irrespective of the type of water resources.
As part of efforts to boost local capacity to produce and maintain simple, low-cost irrigation, International Water Management Institute, IWMI through multi- stakeholder dialogues, policy support is partnering with stakeholders created an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable irrigation development .
The Researcher , Agricultural Water Solution, IWMI Dr Adebayo Oke during his presentation at the International Conference on Climate Change and Just Energy Transition 2025, highlighted that the institute has foster SMEs’ inclusive scaling of bundled irrigation solutions through inclusive business model development and strategic partnerships
The Conference which was theme: Sustainable Clinate Resilience and Just Energy Transition in Africa: A Collaborative Pathway through Policy, Capacity Building, Research and Inclusion was held in Abuja.
He added that its has deployed an impact accelerator program to develop new bundled solutions and SME collaborations that address multiple value chains
According him, IWMI has attracted sustainable finance investments in SMEs to fast-track the adoption of bundled water solutions by smallholder farmers.
Speaking on experience in Nigeria: scaling solar irrigation solutions –Solar scaling pathway studies (Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi) has stratifying the smallholder farmers using the Discrete Choice Experiment.
He mentioned bundling of irrigation technology and financial services to determine scaling pathway/different financing models.
Dr Oke added they also developed a credit facility to enable the scaling of SPI.
Furthermore, he stated IWMI-West & Central Africa Priorities for 2024-2030 as building resilient agric food system against climate change , leveraging water for resilience in fragile and conflict affected settings, enabling circular water and food economy innovations, supporting water infrastructure and allocation decisions among others .
The Country Director , Ghana and Regional Representatives for West and Central Africa, Professor Kehinde Ogunjobi in an interview with newsmen at the event highlighted the importance of evidence-based data for farmers, aquaculture, and environmental ministries.
He said that there is need to raise awareness and emphasized the importance of government support for research and developmental projects on climate change and its impact on agriculture, livelihood, and other sectors.
Professor Ogunjobi has implored government to build capacity of people working in the field of climate change and capacitate farmers to turn evidence-based data into reality.
He encouraged the government to do more to support research and address the impact of climate change, which is more evident in the West African region compared to developed countries.
He urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government and institutions like IWMI Ghana to improve the impact of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and improve the livelihood of people in the region.
He noted the political shift in the US, with the previous administration no longer supporting climate change initiatives, emphasizing the need for Africa to look inward.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured6 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News10 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
