ORGANIC MANURE IS MORE ECO-FRIENDLY & INCREASES YEILD— FED MIN OF AGRIC

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

In a bid to boast agricultural production and ensure food security in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has commenced the training of farmers on the promotion of organic fertilizer preparation and use of Eco-Friendly Agricultural Technologies.

The training, which took place at Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abakaliki, drew participants from different parts of the state.

Delivering his address, the Director, Farm Inputs Support Services Department, Mr. Muhammed Kwaido, stated that the training was aimed at increasing advocacy on the use and adoption of organic fertilizer in Nigeria.

Represented by the Assistant Director, Farm Inputs Support Services Department (FMARD), Mrs. Janet Oluyemisi, the Director noted that the Federal Government in its determination to protect the hard-earned investments of the farmers, enhance their productivity, improve their livelihoods and household incomes established a National Fertilizer Quality Control (NFQC) Act and the implementing Regulations in 2019 and 2022.

According to Mr. Kwaido, the Fertilizer Act and the Regulations are made up of adequate provisions to address abnormalities that could be perpetrated by any player operating in the fertilizer sub-sector, adding that the process of bringing the effort of the Government to the knowledge of the key targeted beneficiaries, particularly the farmers, was in recognition of their crucial roles in ensuring the availability of food for the teeming population of the country.

He also expressed optimism that Nigerian farmers were ready to adopt the use of organic fertilizers.

“he Nigerian farmers I believe are well prepared to adopt the use of organic fertilizers as the country is blessed with abundant raw materials such as plant residues, poultry, livestock waste, biogas residue and agricultural by-products that are readily available locally,” he said.

For his part, the State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ebonyi State, Mr. Onwe Obazi, explained that the programme was designed to sensitize farmers to the formulation and use of organic fertilizer and to make them to understand the need for Eco-Friendly materials against the usual inorganic fertilizer.

He said that farmers were expected to know what to combine to formulate organic fertilizer using local materials.

“This programme is about sensitization of farmers on the formulation and use of organic fertilizer. The purpose is to make them understand the importance of Eco-Friendly environment in formulating organic fertilizer against the inorganic.

“We want the farmers to own it and be able to formulate their fertilizers.

“The use of organic materials to improve crop yield and research has shown that it is effective,” the Director observed.

In an interview, two of the participants, Mr. Gabriel Odoh and Ms Nneka Nwibo, expressed satisfaction with the training, saying that it had exposed them to new methods of formulating organic manure, especially for rice farms.

AMECHI ODO