Optimizing Opportunities for Sustainable Development through Organic Agriculture in Nigeria

Abstract

Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms, minimizing pollution of air, soil and water, and optimizing the health and productivity of interdependent communities of plants, animals and people. To meet these objectives, farmers need to implement a series of practices that minimizes nutrient and energy flows, minimizes risk, enhanced crop diversity and biological pest control through the best use of natural and local resources. While organic agriculture is no longer a new phenomenon within the developed countries which is now commercially practiced in 120 countries on 31 million ha of certified crop land and pasture and 62 million ha of certified wild lands and a market value of 40 billion US dollars in 2006, it is considered new and interesting option for sustainable agriculture in developing countries because it offers a unique combination of low external inputs and technology, environmental conservation and input/output efficiency. In Nigeria, organized organic agriculture is still young despite the great natural potentials that are endowed in virtually all the agro-ecological regions of the country. A well designed policy on organic agriculture can address three crucial aspect of sustainable agricultural development: environmental health through sustainable use of natural resources within and outside the agro-ecosystem; rural development through employment and community empowerment; and income generation through diversification, value addition, marketing and trade. This paper intends to highlights the potentials or opportunities that exist in Nigeria that can be exploited and optimized for sustainable development through organic agriculture. Constraints and way forward are also highlighted for organic agriculture development in Nigeria.