Good Agricultural Practices Could Help to Attain Environmental Sustainability in Ginger Production in Nigeria

Abstract

This review was undertaken to identify the specific market requirements of major international buyers of Nigerian ginger (Zingiber officinale) and how adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) could help to attain these standards. The paper carefully discussed the standards and compliance requirements for Nigerian ginger meant for export, review the activities of the agencies responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the standards and concluded by evaluating how good agricultural practices (GAPS) could help to attain environmental sustainability in ginger production. Given that the GAPs certification is the precondition for admission of produce’s sale in the international markets, adoption of GAPs such as soil and water resources management, improved land use management, restoration of degraded land, biodiversity conservation, integrated pest and fertilizer management amongst other agronomic practices would be necessary to attain these standards. However, current challenges in the adoption and application of GAP in ginger value chain in Nigeria include poor farming and marketing practices, lack of knowledge of the principles, practices and protocols of GAPs, lack of awareness on the availability of premium prices for organically - produced ginger, inadequacy of organic farm inputs, availability of diverse country specific standards, make it difficult for farmers to meet the GAP standards. These challenges notwithstanding, organization of Nigerian ginger farmers into easily accessible and manageable clusters/cooperatives is one of the major ways of addressing the challenges of adoption of GAPs in the ginger value chain.