Organic agric: ECOWAS charges Nigeria to harness leadership

*FMITI promises support

The representative, Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Mr. Aubee Ernerst Reuben has called the consciousness of Nigerian Government to harness leadership potential in organic agricultural practices to rejuvenate the economy into job and wealth creations across the West African sub region, while the Minister of Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment ( FMITI), Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo promised to ensure proactive environment towards enhancing the ecologically friendly agricultural practices of premium prices for export.

Mr. Aubee Ernerst Reuben and Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo said this at the sixth opening ceremony of the organic business submit held in Abuja, Nigeria.

 

Mr. Aubee Ernerst Reuben who commended the conveners of the submit for its timeliness response to addressing United Nation’s decision in New York on taking sustainable actions against climate change challenges said the proactive practice of organic agriculture would proffer a good soil management and better ecological sustainability towards food increased production and safety for human consumption as wealth and job are being created through premuim.

Rueben said there is room for Nigeria to further step up awareness sensitization on organic agriculture that has been included in the school curriculum system, adding that the country should not allow her present challenges to distract her leadership role in organic productivity among other West Africa (WA) countries.

He advised the conference to come up with very practical solutions that can address climate changes challenges to food security and good ecological agriculture management in the entire sub region and African just as he added the health implications of inorganically produced foods.

Speaking, the Director, Commodities and Export, FMITI, Mr. Suleiman Adebayo Audu representing his Minister, Otunba Adebayo said the ministry is very much concerned about the poor state of facilities that should enhance organic agricultural practices towards standard produce for markets acceptability pointing that the country has the right environment and capacity to achieve them.

Mr. Audu identified scarcity of organic inputs, poor market facilities as great challenges confronting organic agricultural practices pointing that holistic management system towards enhanced soils nutrient for increased food production and well managed ecological environment with other agro allied facilities is what the ministry in partnership with other government agencies are determined to make available for practitioners in the country.

The Director Product Development Department, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mr. Williams Ezeigwu emphasised on the need for Nigerians to embrace consumption of safety foods free of synthetic fertilizers saying it would reduce the incidences of ill or health challenges that are on the increase in the country adding that eating right is the best choice of everybody.

 The Country Coordinator, Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Dr. Olugbenga Adeoluwa told news men that the practices of ecologically friendly organic practices in the country was not going at the anticipated pace considering the positive impact it can generate into our economic earnings as individuals and a nation.

Adeoluwa said the continuous exposition of stakeholders into opportunities available in the organic practices would not seize through business submit holdings, saying this is the only way the country can tap into the enormous capital volume in the global organic practices.