HOMEF Trains Akwa Ibom Farmers on Production, Use of Organic Fertilizer, Pesticide

By Ekemini Simon

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has trained farmers in Akwa Ibom State on the production and use of organic fertilizer and pesticide in a bid to address the compounding problem of soil degradation and unsafe food.

The training which took place on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 was held at the agrarian community of Uyo Afaha Nkan, in Ikono local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

The training tagged  “Solving the food and Climate Crisis: Practical Training on Agroecology”, witnessed the utilisation of locally available items such as cow urine, garlic, pepper and neem plant in the production of pesticide. 

The training session also had experts from Be the Help Foundation train farmers on the production of organic fertilizer through the use of cow dung, cow urine, cow pea, banana, water and soil.

The Farm Manager, Be the Help Foundation, Chukwu Agozirim in his remarks noted that his organization has used the organic fertilizer and pesticide produced locally across farms in the country with result of high and safer yield.

He said with the locally available items for the production of pesticide and fertilizer, it was safer and cost effective for farmers to adopt the new approach to farming.

He called on the government to immediately stop the importation of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers as that is causing more issues to farmers and also unsafe for the environment.

Speaking with journalists during the training, the Director of Programs, Health of Mother Earth Foundation HOMEF, Joyce Brown said the training was organised to equip farmers with the practical knowledge they need to practice agriculture in order to produce food not just in adequate quantity but quality enough to nourish consumers.

She said with the gesture, HOMEF is pushing to entrench agricultural practices that will nourish the ecosystem, revive the soil that have been degraded, and help farmers produce high yielding yet safe and healthy food for the people.

Brown added ” We have been campaigning against Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) for a long time and the implications they have against human health and our economy. We have also been talking about the heavy dependence on highly hazardous pesticides which have almost similar implications on our people and the climate. Agroecology is actually the way to go. 

“Here, we are talking about how mixed cropping helps break the cycle of pest and diseases and how farmers can make bio-pesticides through indigenous nim plants, chilly and cow urine. We also teach farmers how to make organic fertilizers without having to use inorganic fertilizers that cost higher and come with side effects.”

The Director of Programs said it is the expectation of HOMEF that after the training, the community will practice what they have been trained on and in about two years time, HOMEF will return to see them abandon the use of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers for the organic ones with corresponding yield and safer food for consumption.

Also speaking, a partner to HOMEF, the Coordinator of Peace Point Development Foundation, Umo Isua-ikoh called on the community to cascade the training beyond their community so that in the near future, farmers across the State will adopt agroecology.

In his remark, a community leader, Bassey Bassey noted that strange sickness has become common since farmers started the use of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers. He assured that the community will immediately adopt the skills offered to the farmers and will invite HOMEF back to see the result.