Partnership will promote innovation, solve organic agricultural challenges – Association
NAN-AE-1
Partnership
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, Jan.6, 2017 (NAN) Mr Olugbenga Adeoluwa, the Vice President, Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (AOAPN), says stakeholders’ partnership will promote innovation and solve organic agricultural challenges facing the country.
Adeoluwa made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
He said that the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria’s current partnership with relevant bodies would develop and sustain organic farming in Nigeria.
“We partner with West Africa Organic Network (WAfrONet), African Organic Network (AfrONet), (IFOAM-Organics International, International Society for Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR) the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa to promote Organic Innovation Platforms in the country.
“The platforms are designed to consistently provide dynamic solutions to challenges facing organic agriculture practitioners in the country.
“Although the Organic Innovation Platforms are currently being implemented in Southwest Nigeria, the association is optimistic of seeking fund to extend this platform to other parts of the country,’’ he said.
According to him, organic agriculture would play significant role in providing business opportunities that could greatly contribute to sustainable national development in the country.
“This will help address the pressing problems of poverty, food insecurity, create job opportunities for teeming youths and generally contribute to improving the livelihoods of stakeholders in the organic agriculture value chain.
“The different presentations and success stories shared proved that organic agriculture presents Nigeria with a lot of potential, both domestic and export markets, which in turn, can contribute to national development.”
He said that Organic Agriculture practitioners provided constructive leadership for actors in the organic agriculture sector in Nigeria.
“We developed the first private organic agriculture standard in the country with the support of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Many small scale farmers have been empowered with information on how to do organic farming, and also linked the producers to organic markets,’’ he said.
Adeoluwa, therefore, urged stakeholders to support the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in revitalising agricultural business in the country. (NAN)
EPA/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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