Farmer advocates more awareness on organic crops consumption

An organic farmer, Mrs Olusola Sowemimo, has called for more awareness on the benefits of organic crops and food to human health.

Sowemimo, Founder of Ope Farms Ltd, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that organic crops helped to reduce toxins in the body when consumed often.

According to her, the sensitization on organic farming and its benefits is in the infantile stage in Nigeria.

“A lot needs to be done to help the growth of organic farming in Nigeria. When I first started organic farming, it was tough because I did not have the guidance and direction.

“However, it is getting better now; many farmers have started to realise that use of chemical fertilizer for cultivation of crops is not healthy.

“We also need the right sensitization on the benefits of organic farming. People need to know what they are eating. The government needs to do a lot on sensitization .

“Do you know what it will mean when we hear on radio in Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa, that,  ‘’food wey you dey eat wetin dey inside, wetin dem use grow am?’’.

“We need the conscious efforts to go for organic crops to help our health. Everyone needs to be healthy, organic crops is not for the rich alone,” Sowemimo said.

She said that it was necessary to create awareness on organic foods consumption, following its amazing health benefits.

Sowemimo also called on local farmers to be wary of carcinogenic contents in fertilizer and chemical additives added in crop cultivation.

She said there was the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria that accessed farms and certified those with best practices.

Sowemimo noted that a number of chemicals applied to crops had been banned in other parts of the world because of their carcinogenic contents.

“People have always asked ‘how do I know what I am up eating is organic or not?’ . In most foods you cannot tell but for vegetables you can differentiate between organic and inorganic.

“If you cut vegetables into water in a clean bowl and the water is very green, then it is nitrogen but in organic vegetables the water will only turn slightly brown because of the dust,” she said.

Sowemimo said that everything about organic food was safe to consume while she urged women to cultivate little gardens around their homes to live and eat healthy organic food.