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(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) Call for African govts to embrace organic agriculture

Call for African govts to embrace organic agriculture
Saturday, 05 May 2012 19:07
Emilia Zindi
in LUSAKA, Zambia

African governments have been called upon to embrace organic agriculture instead of conventional farming as climate change continues to ruin livelihoods due to food shortages.

Organic agriculture is the farming method which is in harmony with nature for social justice and economic development in a sustainable environment where all elements of nature, whether living or non-living, co-exist without the fear of one endangering the existence of the other.

The call was made at the second African Organic Conference held in Lusaka under the theme “Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture in the African Development Agenda.”

Speaker after speaker emphasised the need for countries, especially those in Africa, to seriously consider diverting their attention from conventional agriculture to organic farming as climate change takes its toll.

First to address the more than 300 delegates was chief executive officer of Organic Producers and Processors’ Association of Zambia Mr Mushimbwe Chitalu, who said that it was clear from the creation of mankind that Africans understood well the practice of organic farming which they practised throughout as their way of life.

Mr Chitalu traced back traditional farming methods practised in Tanzania in an area known as Ukara Island.

He said in this area, which measured 80 square kilometres in extent, lived a population of 17 000 inhabitants with each household owning 2,5 hectares of land.

“This is ubuntu. It embodies a culture of precaution which today is reigning against the pride of the so-called civilised and educated who seem now to agree with us Africans that genetic modified materials could have serious social and environmental consequences that would be difficult to address,” he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zambian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Mr Emmanuel Chenda said organic agriculture was one of the best practices in ensuring environmental sustainability as it sustains the fertility of soils, ecosystems and the health of people.

It relies on locally adapted improved ecological processes and cycles as well as natural biodiversity rather than the use of synthetic inputs and genetically modified materials.

He said the number of farmers practising organic farming in his country had tremendously increased from 300 to 60 000 while in Nigeria former head of state Mr Abdulsalami Abubakar had put in practice organic farming to encourage his people with 400 hectares of land under organic farming in his country.

The largest gains from organic agriculture arise from the savings on the damages to public health and the environment estimated at more than US$59,6 billion a year in the United States.

Another is the issue of food security as organic farming retains more nutrients, organic carbon and moisture in the soil, all of which make organic crops more able to withstand climatic stress.

The practice of organic agriculture on a large scale requires strong government commitment and support as well as policy changes that encourage a global shift.

Labels: GMOS, ORGANICS

posted by MrK @ 4:09 PM