NGO trains over one hundred grassroots Farmers in Agroecology in 15 states to promote organic farming methods.

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Health Of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has trained about 100 grassroots farmers in 15 states in agroecology to encourage them to adopt organic farming methods.

HOMEF’s programme manager, for communities and culture, Mr Cadmus Atate Enade, disclose this during a one day agroecology training held in Keffi local government area of Nasarawa State.

According to Enade, agroecology is a farming system in line with nature, promotes food sovereignty and sufficiency and safer than Generically Modified Organisms (GMOs) system of farming which is involvement of harmful chemicals in production of crops, calling the Farmer to avoid using harmful materials.

He added that the method also helps with climate change adaptations, noting that despite government approval of some genetically modified crops and seeds, the introduction of GMOs has resulted in an increase in ailments and diseases.

He said aside rural farmers from Nasarawa state, other participants were also drawn from other states such as Kano, Kwara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi and Oyo states among others.

NBSNews garhered that HOMEF is an ecological think tank and an advocacy organization that is promoting environmental/climate justice and food sovereignty in Nigeria and Africa.

In an interview, the National Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Dr Yunusa Halidu, said the training was apt and timely and assured that knowledge gotten from the training would be cascaded to rural farmers who were unable to come for the training.

The Local farmers were trained on practical methods on how to apply bio fertilizer, discourage agro-diforestation and agro ecology, as well as communal and urban farming methods should also be encouraged.

Some participants interviewed, Mrs Funke Ojomu, a representative of Farmers Development Union in Kwara State also admitted that the training had been helpful and would step down the training to members of union when she gets back to Kwara.

The organization believes in the rights of Mother Earth, the need to equip communities to push back oppression and the need for justice for the environment, their food systems and natural cycles at every level of policy engagement.