FAO backs AFRONET on food security - Osun state promises NOAN land

Group picture at the 3rd AfroNet

In her bit to ensure absolute food security for the Black continent in the next two decades, the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has supported the call made by African Organic Network (AFRONET) on member countries to embrace the use of naturally made manure to growing crops as a policy programme that would enhance premium of produce in the world markets just as the Osun state Governor, Ogbeni, Raul Aregbesola has promised the Nigeria Organic Agriculture of Nigeria (NOAN) a landed property for the purpose of healthy crops and animal production for the citizens. 

This FAO and Osun state government’s supports  for African naturally produces foods cannot be better than now as most countries of the world are now clamoring for food safety in terms of organically produced crops and animals thereby making higher demand for such commercial production coupled the ecological advantages of member countries having comparative advantages of growing crops without any inorganic fertilizers. 

The FAO is lending her weight behind the calling for national policy on organic agricultural practice made by AFRONET on the need for African countries to initiate a frame work that would mainstream a practice of applying organically produced manuals that will enhance quality and safety of food production thereby protecting the health of people and maintaining a clean environment. 

AFRONT has made this summation at a recently concluded world conference hosted at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos tilled “ Achieving social and economic development through ecological and organic agricultural alternatives by NOAN as the President,  Mr Jordan Gama, opened the five-day ``Third African Organic Conference’’ with his remark advocating that governments of African countries should show serious commitment towards popularizing the organic agricultural practice to enhance healthy and improved food production. 

 Mr. Morgan added that it was very imperative for policy makers at the conference to uphold the sensitizing of the continent on the need to embrace organic agricultural practice with farmers taking advantages of the premium produce crops to make more money based on high demand markets saying the presence of key African representative at the conference was a blessing to the continent. 

Speaking in affiliation to the use of organic agricultural practice to enhance food security in the continent, the FAO representative Ms. Allison Loconto who commended the effort of Nigeria towards revolutionizing agricultural sector to enhancing food security said that “The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Friday pledged continued supports to African countries in creating economically and efficient food system through ecological organic agriculture” Commenting further on Nigerian agricultural activities, Ms Loconto of FAO said that “one of the research projects the FAO has been working on in Nigeria is in collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

We have been looking at the community based farming system programme which is on organic agriculture. The project involves developing organic agriculture curriculum which is being integrated into the system for bachelor’s degree.Both students and lecturers under the project have been working with small farm communities around the university to do farm experimentation and to engage the communities in the organic practices. From the point of view of FAO, the investment in research and participatory training can help to build the agriculture sector”.

 She stated further that “FAO member states have been requesting the UN organization (FAO) to provide them with technical assistance and to invest in organic agriculture. There are some member states, which have been making commitments to this efforts and FAO has been supporting them in this. In Latin America and Africa, there have been requests for supports and this is why FAO is holding this International symposium, in order to play up organic agriculture on agenda. This type of awareness among UN member countries are necessary to sensitize the governments particularly in Africa, so that they can become aware of the potentials of organic agriculture in tackling problem of food shortage’’.

 FAO is looking at agricology and ecological agriculture as one of the ways to reduce the negative environmental impact and the pressure on the environment. We are working towards creating socially sound and economically sound efficient food systems by supporting the ecological organic agriculture. Agricology and ecologically organic agriculture practice is currently being focused” said she. 

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state who was represented by Dr Adeleke Ipaye, the  Commissioner for Local Government expressed willingness of the governor’s administration to partner with the NOAN pointed that his boss has realized the potential of organic agriculture in the  improvement of  living standard through production of healthy and nutritional food for the population as “the governor also pledged to give landed property to NOAN in the state, free of charge for the organic agriculture practice” 

Others who spoke on the occasion includes ,Dr Henrique Pacini, an official of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), during an interview with food farm news said that dealing in organic agricultural products could increase income of rural communities saying that his organization has been working in developing organic market since 2004 for healthy nutrition and lifestyle. 

Mr Musa Muwanga, Chief Executive Officer, National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU), said that agriculture was the backbone of most African countries saying "Agriculture is the primary activity of more than 60 per cent of the population in Africa accounting for more than 30 per cent of the GDP in many sub-Sahara countries. Agriculture's ability to generate income for the poor, particularly women, is more important for food security than the ability to increase local food supplies," 

Miss Kate Kibara, the Chief Executive Officer of Kates Organic Limited, Kenya, however urged the Nigerian government to harness the potential in the ecological organic agriculture to encourage youths into skill acquisitions saying that over 40% of the Africa’s population is made up of youth who are mostly unemployed thereby resulting to escalating social challenges and problems. 

Kibara, however, observed that challenges such as lack of capital, access to land, lack of business opportunities and limited capacity and experience had hindered youths desiring to engage in agriculture as a means of livelihood. 

The meeting which attracted over 220 participants, including farmers from various countries of the African continent ran for 5^- 9 October with the following recommendations to all members and donor partners

*Endorse and support the implementation of the African EOA Strategic Plan *Mainstream EOA in their policies, investment plans and programmes, based on the local needs in consultation with the ecological organic agriculture stakeholders and other like-minded organizations in their countries

*Allocate at least 1.0% of the 10% total public expenditure to agriculture for the implementation of the African EOA Strategic Plan.

*Develop seed systems and training programs for women the youth and other stakeholders to generate planting material resources and breeds of livestock to promote ecological organic agriculture.

*Document and recognize the role of women and youth and to include the contribution household food security towards GDP.

*Domesticate the African model Law for the protection of the rights of local communities, farmers and breeders, and for the regulation of access to biological resources

*Take steps to remove trade barriers within and across borders in order to deepen access to national, regional and global markets and expand their market share

*Africa’s development partners and donors to increase support to the AU led Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative, including the expansion of the Initiative to other African countries beyond the eight countries being supported.

*All African stakeholders and development partners to engage in and support NOARA’s research agenda which is to support the scientific, innovative and traditional knowledge dimensions of ecological organic agriculture.

*FARA to partner with NOARA in identifying and addressing major research priorities that will help make ecological organic agriculture more productive, profitable and sustainable.

*National, regional and international organizations committed to supporting healthy and productive food and agriculture systems to continue and step up their efforts to sensitize the society about the multiple benefits of ecological organic agriculture.

*Ecological organic agriculture actors at the country level to liaise and work with the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Country teams to mainstream EOA in the CAADP investment plans.