A one day training workshop on pure organic farming, farm at your
door step and network on Agric business has ended in Awka with a
charge on farmers to desist from using synthetic chemicals and embrace
organic farming.
The training, organised by the state Community Farm Development
Programme in collaboration with Anambra State chapter of National
Association of Nigeria Traders Women’s wing and Food at your door,
took place at the Agricultural Development Programme office in Awka.
The hall was filled with participants who are majorly market
women, producers, farmers, civil servants and students of Faculty of
Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Declaring the training open, the state Programme Manager, Agricultural
Development Programme, ADP, Mr. Jude Nwankwo, announced that Anambra
state has the lowest prevalence rate of pests in the country.
He attributed this feat to the use of improved varieties that are pest
resistant, made available to the state farmers by Governor Willie
Obiano.
Mr. Nwanko said that the training was aimed at bequeathing to farmers
best ways to avoid obnoxious chemicals, to use right preservative
measures and to add value to their produce for export.
Earlier in her opening speech, the Special Assistant on Community Farm
Development Programme and the anchor of the training workshop, Mrs.
Theresa Okoye, noted that Community Farm Development Programme was
inaugurated by Governor Willie Obiano to ensure best farming practices
in Anambra state.
Mrs. Okoye advised them to put into practice all that they garnered to
maximally benefit from both national and international market linkages
the state government is presently networking for them.
Taking up the participants on “Pure organic farming”, the Managing
Director and Chief Executive officer of Food at Your Door, one of the
collaborators of the training workshop, Mrs. Precious Obed-Uwah urged
all and sundry to augment their sources of livelihood with farming,
irrespective of size.
Mrs. Obed-Uwah, who frowned at the attitude of those she referred to
as certificate farmers who divert all assistance meant for practical
farmers for their selfish interest, advised them not to depend solely
on seasonal farming but embrace irrigation system of farming which
according to her is where the money lies.
She however assured Anambra farmers of linking them up with both
national and international off- takers provided they practice pure
organic farming devoid of any synthetic and obnoxious chemicals.
Some of the participants, including Honourable Obiora Igboanugo, a processor and
cassava farmer from Umueze-Anam, Anambra East council area and another
farmer from Amanuke, Awka North council area, Mrs. Clara Nnaeto, who
accepted to adopt organic farming fully, appealed to government at
all levels to make available at subsidized rate organic fertilizers
for farmers for easy and smooth transition.
The training workshop climaxed with the inspection of Food at your
door exhibition stand displaying various improved nursery plants and
snails as well as question and answer session
