By Faridat Salifu
A Professor of Soil Fertility at the University of Ibadan, Olugbenga Adeoluwa, has called on governments at all levels to promote and invest in organic farming as a sustainable pathway to achieving food security and protecting environmental health in Nigeria.
He made the call during the 10th Venerable Emmanuel Alayande Memorial Distinguished Alumni Lecture, organised by the Ibadan Grammar School Old Students’ Association, held recently at the school premises in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Delivering a lecture titled “Organic Farming: A Panacea to Failing Human and Environmental Health,” Prof. Adeoluwa said organic agriculture offers safer and higher-quality food while restoring soil health and biodiversity, but warned that it cannot succeed through individual farmer efforts alone.
“To make organic agriculture mainstream and effective, coordinated efforts are necessary at the policy, community, research, and consumer levels,” he said.
Adeoluwa urged the Federal and State Governments to create clear and affordable certification systems for organic producers, ensuring transparency and building consumer trust in locally grown organic food.
He advised government to introduce subsidies, tax incentives, and grants to support smallholder farmers transitioning from chemical-intensive practices to organic systems, while investing in storage, transport, and processing infrastructure to minimize post-harvest losses.
“Support must include infrastructure investments storage, transport, and processing to reduce post-harvest losses,” he stated.
The soil scientist further encouraged farmers to adopt ecological techniques such as crop diversification, composting, and biological pest control, stressing that overreliance on synthetic chemicals has degraded Nigeria’s farmlands and worsened public health outcomes.
Earlier, the President-General of the Ibadan Grammar School Old Students’ Association, Dayo Onakoya, described the annual lecture as a celebration of legacy and scholarship inspired by the late Venerable Emmanuel Alayande, who served as principal of the school for over 20 years.
“This event is more than a lecture; it is a celebration of values that have shaped generations of Ibadan Grammar School students,” Onakoya said.
He appealed to the Oyo State Government to strengthen security around the school’s infrastructure and safeguard the lives of students, teachers, and administrators.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the lecture series, Goodie Ibru, praised the late Alayande as an exemplary administrator who combined discipline with compassion.
The event was attended by dignitaries including Retired Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mojeed Owoade, Professor of Biochemistry Babajide Elemo, old students, and current learners of the school.
