The Federal Government has been urged to increase efforts on mainstreaming Organic Agriculture into existing curricula for agricultural training at all levels of education in Nigeria.
Participants at the just concluded 2021 National Organic Agriculture Business Summit held in Abuja gave the suggestion as part of the resolution in the communique, adding that stakeholders of organic agriculture in the country should have good understanding of the principles and practice of Organic Agriculture.
The stakeholders during the three-day conference further expressed concern that the level of organic agriculture trade both domestic and export in Nigeria although growing, is still on the low side compared to leading countries in the organic sector of Africa.
It further states that relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) need to contribute to policy formulation and implementation of organic agriculture policy in the country, adding that funding for organic agriculture/ Ecological Organic Agriculture activities in Nigeria is low in relation to the needs of the sector.
“While appreciating the current MDAs’ investment in Organic Agriculture related issues in the country, the level of investment is still low in relation to the expected development in the organic sector. There is huge technical knowledge gap on Organic Agriculture production system for export in the country.
“The issue of agricultural extension services to facilitate Organic Agriculture in the country needs to be addressed and the understanding of most stakeholders in Nigeria of the required procedures for certification of organic produce and products for both domestic and export trade is still low.
“Appropriate attention should be paid to the organic agriculture sector for enabling environment for development of the sector. There is the need for a definite engagement of youths, special people and women in Organic Agriculture for meaningful livelihood development for all and there is the need to put in motion necessary apparatus that can lead to increase in Organic market share (in terms of produce, products and services) from Nigeria at the global market and participation in BioFach (which holds yearly in mid-February at Nuremberg, Germany).
