By Helen Oji Abuja
Th e Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, says only attaining and maintaining quality standards in agricultural produce will enhance the nation’s export value. Ogbeh, who was represented by Dr. Nnamdi Ibezim, the South East Regional Director of the Ministry made this know at the opening ceremony of the National Organic Agriculture Business Summit recently in Awka.
Th e summit with the Th eme “Global Organic Agriculture Development” Unbundling Abundant Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Nigerian Youth, was organized by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria in conjunction with the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative, Nigeria. According to the minister, Nigeria would only sustain the feat it has achieved so far in the recent exportation of yam to some parts of Europe and America, if maintains and follow global best agriculture practice. “Nigeria has what it takes to produce the best and as well be the best,” he stressed and admonished the association to follow the rules in the practice, regulation and use of organic agriculture products and produce. Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, said everything was being done to make the state an organic-food dependent state.
“Anambra State is the front runner in terms of organic agriculture and that is why we are the fi rst state in the country to start the export of organic vegetable,’’ he said. Also, Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative Nigeria, Country Director, Dr. Olugbenga Adeoluwa, called on Nigerians to focus on organic farming in order to have a healthy and wealthy nation
