The adoption of Organic agriculture practices in Nigeria will sustain and improve agroecology as longevity of land or environment for organic agriculture has to be ensured by organic agriculture.
Organic farming uses biological materials and avoids synthetic substances. This helps to maintain ecological balance and soil fertility and subsequently reduces wastage and pollution. This type of farming depend on the ecologically balanced principles of agriculture such as crop rotation, green manure, organic waste, mineral, biological pest control, and rock additives. The consequences of shifting to such practices are huge, and the switch needs the involvement of a holistic approach to address the challenges and make the most of opportunities in the agriculture industry.
Global organic sector was valued at 130 billion US dollars as of 2019, with 72.3 million hectares managed by over 3.1 million producers and yet Africa is still found wanting.
Organic agriculture contributes a lot to the health of the world.
Benefits of organic farming in the agricultural industry
- Nutrient-rich food: Organic farms are preferably managed and nurtured using sustainable practices. Hence, food crops produced organically are filled with nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and other micro-nutrients as related to those from conventional farms that use chemicals for cultivation. Crops from conventional or commercial farms have a reasonably lower nutrient content as most of the nutrients get wrecked by the use of harmful chemicals that are used to keep the produce fresh and pest-free.
- Enhances soil nourishment: Organic farming efficiently addresses soil management. Organic farming procedures such as inter-cropping techniques, crop rotation, and the widespread use of green manure can even help to farm on damaged soil, subject to corrosion and salinity. The absence of chemicals in organic farming does not kill microbes, which raises the nourishment of the soil. This, in turn, also guarantees that the crop remains nutrient-rich.
- Conserve agricultural diversity: In the last one century, around 75% of the agricultural diversity of crops have been wiped out. Following only a single form of farming is a recipe for disaster. Pests can knock out many species of a crop in this case. Organic farming methods on the other hand help produce disease and pest resistant crops to assure a sustainable future
Low level of technical know-how among stakeholders and policy makers have been part of the major limitations to the development of the organic agriculture sector in Africa.
