FG trains soybean farmers on organic farming

By Omotayo Edubi

The Federal Government has trained over 100 soybean farmers in Kwara state to plant one hundred hectares of land in an organic ways for export market in Europe.

This soybean training which was held on Saturday at the Savanna Hotel Ilorin, Kwara state comes under the FG export expansion facility program in partnership with NICERT limited, along other agricultural commodities like cocoa, cashew, sesame seeds etc.

The National President, Nigerian Soybean Association, Mr. Ayodele Christopher Uwala pleaded to the participating members of the 100 hectares cultivation to conform to the organic standard so as to avoid rejection, saying this would enhance trust in our produce in terms of export and premium price.

Already, the 100 hectares for the production of the crop had been secured at Apata, Kajola village in Kwara state according to the state association chairman, Mr. Olawoyin Solomon Yinka who said it is going to be a pilot cluster farming to ensure standard uniformity of the organic principles.

The consultant for NICERT Limited, Mr. Benoit Sossou took the soya bean farmers through the principles of organic farming without rejection across the globe saying conventional farming items must not be used to avoid undermining standard.

Speaking also, the Executive Secretary, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations (FACAN), Prince Peter Bakare admonished farmers against the use of toxic inputs with a view to enhance crops yield, saying that organically produced foods have more premium and can give more healthiness to the body.

In another development, the similar organic training has taken place for the National Sesame Seeds Association of Nigeria (NSSAN), Nazarawa chapter in Lafia as the farmers were grateful for the exercise because of the value is going to add in terms of best agricultural practices organically to them.