EXCLUSIVE: Researchers want trade incentive, others for organic farming in WA

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and National Ministries of Trade in the member countries have been called upon by economic researchers to give special incentive to export of organic produce in Africa with other supportive measures.

This was stated in a journal published by an Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet), authored by Dr. Anthony Onoja and made available to Food Farm News.

One of the recommendations for organic development in West Africa was that policy of each country on export be supported with special incentive to farmers through the office of the ECOWAS and all the Ministries of trade from the region adding that the measure would enable exporters to easily penetrate foreign markets for more economic earnings.

The study  which utilized mainly secondary data from Food and Agriculture Organization Statistical data (FAOSTAT) finds that Africa had the least total area under organic agriculture management with 1.6% as Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo had the highest average agricultural areas for organic farming in West Africa as at 2005-2015.

Further recommendations from the study stated that effort should be made by various stakeholders in the food security and agriculture in West Africa to popularise organic farming just as farmers’ capacities should be developed through organisation of workshop and training programmes that will enhance better understanding of the practice with the best technologies usage.

Also stated was that each ECOWAS member should prioritise funding of organic farming towards ensuring fund availability to farmers through development assistance from international donors while national policy for organic farming must be formulated by all countries.

And Governments of the West Africa and ECOWAS will need to prioritise building of climate change resilience for farmers against desertification and flood control.