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Documentation, Dissemination Of Organic Agriculture Best Practices Is Key To National Development

Published

6 years ago

October 17, 2019

President, Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria Prof Victor Olowe has revealef that documentation, dissemination and promotion of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria best practices and success stories will bring about national development.

Olowe said this at the ongoing 2019 National Organic Agriculture Business Summit on Thursday in Lagos with the theme ‘Organic Export Opportunities for National Development’.

He said that the documentation, dissemination and promotion of organic best practices will highlight the values, importance and health benefits of organic produce.

“They will help show how to improve yields, analyse the challenges faced, introduce new discoveries and expose the hazardous health effects associated with the use of synthetic agro-chemicals,’’ he said.

While presenting a paper on `ORGANIC SESAME EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA: the don said that as at 2017, Nigeria produced 550,000 tonnes of seed and ranked joint second with Sudan in Africa after Tanzania and fourth in the world behind Tanzania, Myanmar and India.

He also added that about 23 states in Nigeria produce sesame which is an oilseed crop with the appellation `Queen of oilseeds because of its high quality oil.

According to Olowe, major problems facing sesame industry in Nigeria include lack of adequate mechanized farming techniques which lead to five to 10 per cent field loss, very limited functional seed processing plants (Nigeria currently has three).

“Limited access to finances and credit facilities by producers limited access to improved and high yielding varieties of sesame and inputs.

“Predominantly degraded soils with poor fertility status, pests and diseases attack and limited number of National Research Institutes working on sesame

He therefore called on all organic farmers to always ensure proper documentation of all processes involved in farming and as well the outcome.

Lt. Col. Abubakar Maimalari (Rtd), Former Military Administrator of Jigawa State when delivering his keynote address on `Organic Agriculture: Export Opportunities for National Development’ said that the world market for organic food has grown for over 15 years.

He said that Africa, the world’s second largest continent after Asia, with the world’s second largest population – about 1.1 billion people currently has slightly more than 1.2 million hectares of certified organic agricultural land.

“This constitutes about 3 per cent of the world’s organic agricultural land, but only 0.1% of Africa‟s farmland is organically farmed.

“There are more than 574,000 organic producers with Uganda having the largest organic area of 231‟000 hectares and most organic producers.

“Livestock production (meat, dairy and eggs) has also been steadily increasing in recent years’’.

He regretted that despite this huge opportunity of the global organic agriculture market, Nigeria as a country with great potential is yet to make a remarkable achievement in this dimension.

Maimalari said that one of the main reasons producers go organic is to be able to access organic markets with premium price or at least comparative advantages over the conventional trade platforms.

“Organic agriculture trade is based on guarantee systems that ensure organic practices are followed by producers, based on approved organic standards.

“This process often works through certification of organic production systems: it is worthy of note that the use of the word organic by default is no longer acceptable because organic agriculture in the real sense is never by default.

“This is because producers make conscious effort to go organic by following appropriate standard(s)’’.

He said that organic agriculture development in Nigeria is still at the infant stage, despite increasing awareness of opportunities in the sector at the global and national levels.

“Currently, only just a little percentage of farmers in Nigeria is involved in organic farming.

“Although the economy of Nigeria is mostly oil based, but agriculture provides the main source of livelihood for most Nigerians and also contribute to the GDP of the country in term of exported produce.

He said it is estimated that Nigeria lose 10 billion US dollars in annual export opportunity from groundnut, palm oil, cocoa and cotton alone, due to continuous decline in the production of those commodities arising from difficulty in meeting export requirements.

“It is good to know that most of the challenges faced by conventional agriculture in trade are easily addressed with organic agriculture principles and practices.

“Thus, Nigeria could take the advantage of going organic with most agricultural production to access export markets,’’ he concluded.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

1 week ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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