During his closing remarks at the cocktail event on `Reporting Back Achievements of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative’ activities in Nigeria, the Head of Agriculture Division, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Ernest Aubee noted emphatically that Nigeria was leading in the promotion of Organic Agriculture in the West Africa region.
Agriculture remains the base of the Nigerian economy, providing the main source of livelihood for most Nigerians. In spite of the food insecurity and domino effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on agriculture, in the fourth quarter of 2020, Nigeria’s agricultural sector grew by 3.4 percent in real terms compared to the same period of the previous year. Furthermore, because Africa is dominated by sub-Sahara areas where the soil is weak, the environment is very sensitive, organic agriculture is encouraged to tackle environmental concerns while promoting food security. Several initiatives have arisen in Nigeria towards the promotion of the best organic agricultural practices.
“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,” Mr. Aubee said as he urged other ECOWAS member states to start work immediately on how best to ensure the mainstreaming and development of organic agriculture in their lives
