Tropentag, September 18 - 20, 2019 in Kassel "Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development"

Challenges Facing the Quality Management along Organic Agriculture Value Chains in Southwestern Nigeria

Obafemi Awolowo University, Dept. of Animal Science, Nigeria

Abstract

Organic agriculture in Nigeria is still at its infancy, representing a production system that enhances and sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. This combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life based on principles of Ecology, Health, Fairness and Care.
The development vision by Nigeria's government conceptualises a transformation in organic agriculture that would ensure food security, the right to sustainable development for all and adaptation to the climate change challenge. The transformation agenda is meant to wean Nigeria off food imports by boosting domestic food production. This entails reforms in the input supply regime, a targeted region specific increase in the output of priority commodities, post-harvest systems development, a strong orientation towards agri-business and promoting value-addition in the product chain. Despite these policy interventions, the organic agriculture sector is still largely faced with a lot of quality management issues across its value chain segments relating to market access and orientation, available resources and physical infrastructures.
This multiplicity of intertwined factors and forces cannot be resolved by the monolithic conventional agriculture approach to increasing yields, rather, a holistic system that provides a whole range of products and services that are required to sustain the livelihoods of the population, is resilient and supports the ecosystem functions that underpins organic agriculture production, including a living soil, and in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, empowers poor farmers in order to secure their food security and equitable returns on their investments.
Therefore, overcoming these challenges will result in an affordable and appropriate approach for increasing local food security and resilience to drought as well as regenerating the productive capacity of degraded lands. Hence, the rising global demand for organic agriculture products based on their superior health and environmental characteristics has created new market opportunities for farmers in Southwestern Nigeria to leverage on.

Keywords: Nigeria, organic agriculture

Contact Address: Olubunmi Ayobami Duduyemi, Obafemi Awolowo University, Dept. of Animal Science, 220005 Ile Ife, Nigeria, e-mail: bunmid2000yahoo.com