Head of agricultural division, ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, Mr Ernest Aubee, has announced that Nigeria emerged the leading role in the promotion of Organic Agriculture in the West Africa region.
Aubee said this in his closing remarks at the cocktail event on `Reporting Back Achievements of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative’ activities in Nigeria for the years 2014-2020 and Award presentation, in Abuja.
“Nigeria’s efforts in organic agriculture were commendable and timely, as it was coming at the time when people pay attention to what they eat
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“What Nigeria is doing will benefit not only Nigeria, as a country, but also the other 14 ECOWAS member states, and we hope member states will take a cue from your strides
so far,” he said.
Aubee, also Chairman, Regional Steering Committee of EOA in West Africa,
said EOA had been given a pride of place in the ECOWAS Commission, such that it was driving the organic agriculture initiative for the benefit of the region.
“We must look at how best to mainstream organic agriculture into every sector of the economy, to encourage and promote its sustainability in the
region,” he said.
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Aubee therefore urged other ECOWAS member states to start work immediately on
how best to ensure the mainstreaming of organic agriculture in their lives. Daily Times reports
The event had in attendance representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Trade, Industry and
Investments.
Also present were the Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN),
Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), NAFDAC and partners of the EOA Initiative in Nigeria.
Earlier, Dr Olugbenga AdeOluwa, the Nigeria Country Coordinator of EOA , reported that the Initiative had the support of the African Heads of States’ 2020 decision EX.CL/Dec.621 (XVII) on Organic Farming, and that Nigeria had been part of EOA process since 2011.
Meanwhile, Mr Oyewole Gbadamosi, the Project Manager, while reporting back on EOA’s achievements, said the goal was to mainstream EOA into national agricultural production systems by 2025, with a view to improving the quality of life of African citizens.
