By Williams Obidinma
Dr Garba Abari, the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) says exposure to the concept, principles and practice of organic agriculture and agroecology with their benefits will enhance economic growth.
Abari said this in Abuja, during the three-day `Executive Train the Trainers on Principles, Practices and Entrepreneurship in Organic and Agroecological Agriculture’, organised by NOA in collaboration with Nigeria Go Organic and Organic and Agroecology Initiative (ORAIN).
He said the purpose of the training is to adequately expose the NOA Staff and Agricultural Extension Officers across the states so that they, as knowledge-bearers, will effectively share same with the citizens.
Abari, who was represented by Mr David Akpoji, his Special Adviser noted that it is expedient to urge the citizens to try to eat right, because we are what we eat.
“This great saying is in sync with the NOA’s key campaign: Change Begins with Me: Patronize Made-in-Nigeria Products and Services, which emphasizes the very need for the citizens to prioritize and prefer our homegrown and organic products.
“NOA is the organ of government saddled with the onerous task of ensuring that Nigerians, not only understand all government policies, programmes and activities and participate actively, but also provide feedback to government on the people’s opinions about the same, which will subsequently guide government decisions.
“We strongly believe that organic agriculture and agroecology are the way to go as they promote safe and healthy products, and higher nutritional value.
“They promote longer shelf life, biodiversity, control of pollution, soil degradation and erosion, sustainable use of production resources as well as producer and household safety and more.
He, therefore, expressed NOA’s commitment to creating sustained awareness about Organic Agriculture and Agroecology by integrating the key message contents into our related programmes and activities.
“The next step to achieving the integration will be a stepdown training for NOA state officers on the concept’’.
Dr Olugbebga AdeOluwa, Country Director, Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria encouraged participants to take the training to heart in order to help Nigeria compete favourably in the organic world.
AdeOluwa, who is also the Country Coordinator of ORAIN noted that organic agriculture is the fastest developing sector in the world, hence, the need for Nigeria to key into it.
“Organic Agriculture is knowledge intensive so there is the need for people to understand the principles of organic agriculture practices in order to maximise its benefits.
“Organic Agriculture is not all about not applying chemical fertilizer and pesticides but observing certain laid down principles of organic farming.
“Nigeria has got all it takes to be the number one nation in organic agriculture production in Africa, therefore all stakeholders must work together as one”.
He said the training is to bridge the gap between practitioners and the general public.
“This workshop is to train participants on the principles and practices of organic agriculture in an entrepreneurial way, in order to be able to train others.
“Organic agriculture is a tool for financial upliftment and if properly practiced would reduce the number of people going to the hospitals.
“Its all about farming for healthy living and healthy environment”, he added.
One of the participants, Mr Ernest Aubee of the ECOWAS Commission said the training was very important and relevant for all executives in the organic agriculture sector of Nigeria and the ECOWAS region.
Aubee noted that ECOWAS Commission is aggressively promoting organic agriculture in the region as top executives and decision makers should be conversant with the basic organic practices in order to make the right policy decisions at all times.
“The training gives a holistic approach to the development of organic agriculture sector, it is a sector that will help the region to achieve the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“It is another pathway to achieving food and nutrition security in our country,’’.
He appeals that step down trainings be done for other executives in respective organizations.
“We need to have a critical mass of organic agriculture advocates in order to develop the sector rapidly and comprehensively.
