By Ebere Agozie
Awka – Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development says Nigeria must maintain standards to enhance export of its agricultural produce to other countries.
Ogbeh, represented by Dr Nnamdi Ibezim, the South East Regional Director in the Ministry, made this know at the opening of the National Organic Agriculture Business Summit on Tuesday in Awka.
The summit with the Theme; “Global Organic Agriculture Development; Unbundling Abundant Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Nigerian Youths’’ was organised by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria in collaboration with the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative Nigeria.
He said that for Nigeria to sustain the feat it achieved by the recent yam export to some parts of Europe and America, the country must maintain and follow global best practice.
“Nigeria has what it takes to produce the best and as well be the best,’’ he said.
He, however, admonished the association to follow the rules in the practice, regulation and use of organic agriculture products and produce.
In his remarks at the occasion, Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra, represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanisation, Processing and Export, Mr. Afam Mbanefo said that everything possible was being done to make the state an organic food dependent one.
“Anambra state is the front runner in terms of organic agriculture and that is why we are the first state in the country to start the export of organic vegetables.’’
Dr Olugbenga Adeoluwa, the Country Director, Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative, Nigeria urged Nigerians to focus on organic farming in order to have a healthy and wealthy nation.
“We are what we eat; this is why EOA Initiative in Nigeria is using every opportunity available to support and promote organic agriculture to make sure that the health of Nigerians and its environment are safe.
“The overall goal of the action plan of EOA is to mainstream ecological agriculture into national agricultural production systems by 2025,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Prof Victor Olowe commended everyone present for supporting the campaign of the association to make Nigeria healthy by encouraging the nation to completely go organic.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion featured side attractions such as cultural performance by the Nkpokiti cultural group and the presentation of the association’s promotional materials to the governor. (NAN)