” Government must show willingness to support best farming practices that are also sustainable for the good of all.
Agriculture experts on Wednesday say Organic Agriculture practices provide food that that are healthy and free of poison to both humans and their environment.
They gave the assurance at the 6th West African Conference on Organic Agriculture with the Theme “Feeding the World Without Poisoning’ at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The hybrid 4-day event monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had participants from across the world proffering solutions to healthy sustainable agriculture practices.
The Burkina Faso Minister of Agriculture, Salifou Ouedraogo, who was represented by Mr Kinda Yaaya, the Secretary General of the ministry in his opening speech urged African policy makers to find solutions that are trustworthy that promote eco-friendliness.
“We need good ecological farming system that promote environmental friendliness and the health of the people.
” Government must show willingness to support best farming practices that are also sustainable for the good of all.
“Stakeholders must continue to work together, share ideas that will promote agro-ecology, organic farming and agro-forestry.
” Given the degradation we experience in our continent, all hands must be on deck to save our environment, ” Ouedraogo added
Mr Ernest Aubee, Head of Agriculture Division, ECOWAS Commission in his address said that the commission is working to increase stakeholders engagement and to boost political commitment for the elimination of hunger in the region.
“We are meeting these goals through advocacy and awareness campaigns by establishing multi stakeholders partnership”.
He appealed to member states for more human and financial support for organic agriculture because that’s where the future lies.
“We must come back to nature if we must have a healthy people and environment.
” We should all work together for a common ECOWAS Economic Integration for the benefit of the people of the region”.
Economic Integration is a process in which two or more states in a broadly defined geographic area reduce a range of trade barriers to advance or promote a set of economic goals.
Mr Dauda Sau of FAO noted that Agroecology and organic agriculture are models for effective response to vulnerable people in the region.
“They accelerate resilience and mitigate the effects of climate change”.
He urged practitioners to scale up organic agriculture productions to be able to feed the world.
“We must also work together to find solutions to the challenges that stakeholders are facing,” he added.
Mr Abdoulaye Ouedraogo, the President, National Council of Organic Agriculture in Burkina Faso (CNABio) noted that the practice has contributed to improving the lives of humans and preserving the land that nourishes them.
Ouedraogo said that CNABio has developed a framework for exchanges and consultation between actors active in organic farmin and contribute to the capacity building of these actors.
He urged stakeholders to create legislative and regulatory frameworks favorable to the development of organic farming in West Africa.
