The Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN) has disclosed that it has sent policy on organic agriculture in Nigeria to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for adoption and approval, to promote organic agricultural practice in the country.
The Vice-President of NOAN, Olugbenga Adeoluwa, disclosed this at the annual general meeting of the association in Abuja, he noted that Nigeria is on the good track since the policy will address issues like production, processing, inputs, marketing, quality control, certification of organic products in the country.
NOAN is an umbrella body for all stakeholders involved in organic agriculture in Nigeria, containing membership form farmers, scientists, processors, exporters, individuals, institutions, NGOs and organizations that are key players in the organic agriculture sector.
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The body serves as a link between organic agriculture stakeholders in Nigeria and international bodies interested in organic agriculture through various activities such as capacity building, marketing and advocacy.
deoluwa explained that when the policy is finally approved by the federal government because one of the indicators of a country doing well is having a policy in place that can support proper organic systems.
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Meanwhile, President of the association, Victor Idowu narrated that organic agriculture relies mostly on what one can produce within the system, and does not depend more on external inputs, adding that it is a production system that every family, no matter how small their size is, can practice.
“Organic agriculture is not expensive, but it can be labour -at the beginning, but over time, by the time you keep applying organic fertiliser or animal manure to the soil, you are building the fertility of the soil and the gains are there for you over time”, Idowu added.
