The Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria, Ebonyi Chapter, has called on stakeholders to promote the organic agriculture system for better health benefits and environment in the state.
Mr Ezekiel Igboji, State Coordinator of the association made the call on Tuesday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.
Igboji noted that awareness of organic agriculture was low and at its infancy in the state, saying that its practice could save lives and the environment, if integrity and standards were applied.
He described organic as food produced by methods complying with the standards of organic farming, saying that the term organic was used only when it comes to the certification of a product.
The coordinator said that the association would partner the media and export promotion council to drive the practice in the state, disclosing that it planned to train extension agents of the ministry of agriculture and farmer associations on organic agriculture principles, practices and entrepreneurship.
The training and practice were criteria for exports once a product passed through the processes and were certified, Igboji said.
“Farmer groups, cooperatives, through the state agriculture development programme at the rural level will be sensitised. Many claimed to be organic farmers but do not follow organic standard.
“Integrity is a challenge in regular businesses and we want to bridge the gap,’’ he said.
(NAN)