FCTA sensitises farmers on organic agric, post- harvest losses

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARD) has sensitised farmers and extension agents across the territory on the best approach to organic agriculture and curbing of post harvest losses.
During the sensitisation workshop weekend in Abuja, the acting secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Ishaq Sadeeq, said the exercise was part of measures to ens added that with proper sensitisation of farmers and extension agents in the nation’s capital, Abuja, on the adoption of organic agriculture, it will integrate organic products that meet up with the required standards in their various agricultural vocations.
Sadeeq said the secretariat will continue to explore all available opportunities to reach out to various stakeholders such as cooperative groups, women in agriculture, youth as well as other relevant organisation towards not only promoting the practice but enhancing their access to organic products.
The secretary added that organic agriculture is a practice which involves the use of natural materials which are of plant and animal origins for the production of food that are safe for consumption.

He said going forward, the secretariat will intensify measures to increase awareness, provide technical support through extension agents and develop market infrastructure to enhance access to organic agricultural products.
He also added that ARDS will strengthen existing synergy between producers, consumer marketers, exporters and NGO’s, increase the conduct of multi-dimensional trials on soil, crops organic fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides as well as increase access of registered organic farmers to subsidise inputs
on post-harvest losses.

The deputy director, FCTA-ARDS, Onwumere Fortune, advised farmers to use crop varieties which are resistant to storage insect pests as well as pre-harvest pests.