With global demand for healthy food and healthy processes of food production increasing, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,
Chief Audu Ogbeh, says Nigeria is still playing catch-up in production of wholesome foods.
Chief Ogbeh, who made this known in his keynote address at the maiden National Organic Agriculture Business Summit in Abuja, said only about point-zero-one per cent of land is being put to organic agriculture in Nigeria, stressing that Uganda, which farms on one point seven per cent of her land under organic farming, is the largest producer of organic food in Africa.
The Minister, represented by the Chairman, National Steering Committee of Ecological Organic Agriculture, Mr. Isah Adamu, said it was time that Nigeria leveraged on the decision of African Heads of States and government on organic farming, which are the principles of health, ecology, fairness and care.
He said Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative would promote healthy diets and lifestyles to reduce the global burden of food insecurity, ill health and other implications resulting from unhealthy food consumption as well as contribute to mitigation of climate change and resilience of the agricultural system.
Speaking on the challenges facing organic agriculture sector, the National President, National Association of Organic Agriculture of Nigeria (NAON), Professor Victor Olowe, called for increased research funding for organic agriculture sector, saying that Research funding for the sector, was extremely low and posed a significant challenge to the growth of the sector.
On her part, Professor Nkiru Meludu of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, called for support from all stakeholders to fund research in organic agriculture to improve the advancement of healthy food production and food security for national consumption and export business.
Professor Meludu argued that organic agriculture sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, the people and plays a vital role in food security and sovereignty, job creation and national development, adding that Nigeria is endowed with good agricultural lands, natural, human and intellectual resources that could make it among the leading organic producers in Africa.
Our correspondent, Emeka Arinze, who is attending the business summit, reports that experts in the field of organic agriculture and business development from the United States, Uganda, Ukraine, Ghana and Benin Republic are also attending the two-day summit.
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