ADDIS ABABA- Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) confers on the need for promoting organic agriculture so as to meet the growing demand in the global market.
Speaking on the first ever national organic agriculture conference, State Minister Sani Redi said that even if the country has issued Ethiopian Organic Agriculture System Proclamation 488/2006 to promote organic production, it has practically done little so far. But, he has cited coffee, oilseeds, honey, spices, among others as some of the major crops that are still being harvested through organic agricultural farming.
“Organic agriculture is becoming preferable and profitable in the world market due to its healthiness for consumption.” The value of the country’s organic agriculture produces has gained credibility in worldwide daily consumption foods importexport, according to him. Citing 2018 World Organic Agriculture statistics, he said that over 200,000 farmers are practicing organic agriculture in the country.
“161,113 and 24,936 hectare of land has been cultivated with coffee and oil seeds via organic agriculture, respectively”. As to him,the Ministry has now launched a robust cooperation with stakeholders to nurture best experiences regarding activating organic agriculture.
Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) General Director, Gebremedhin Belay for his part emphasized on the enormous social, economic and environmental impacts of practicing organic agriculture. Developed countries have now prioritized organic agriculture and the demand and share of organic agricultural products in the market is also growing, he said. Reports show that Ethiopia is generating more from the export of coffee, honey, oilseeds and vegetables harvested through organic agriculture, he said. Experts in the area also presented studies made on the short term and long term effects of organic agriculture. According to them, degradation of soil minerals and loosing major nutrients in the soil is challenging human health globally due to the application of massive chemical fertilizers targeting on quantity increment of crop yields.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 2/2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
