Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Box 6 Organic agriculture as defined by the International
Federation of Organic Movements (IFOAM 2000)
Organic agriculture includes all agricultural systems that promote environmentally,
socially and economically sound production of food and fibre. These systems take local
soil fertility as a key to successful production. By respecting the natural capacity of plants,
animals and the landscape, it aims to optimise quality in all aspects of agriculture and the
environment. Organic agriculture dramatically reduces external inputs by refraining from
chemical fertiliser and pesticides. Instead it allows the powerful laws of nature to increase
both agricultural yields and disease resistance. Organic agriculture adheres to globally
accepted principles, which are implemented within the local socioeconomic, climatic and
cultural settings. As a logical consequence, IFOAM stresses and supports the
development of self-supporting systems on local and regional levels.
This definition is fully in line with the farmer's definition of sustainability (see
Box
5
)
and the view on trees by the chief of Nwodua (see
Box
3
).
Organic agricultural deelopment starts with a more efficient use of local
resources
A participatory extension approach stimulates farmers to use local resources. Local resources
such as mulching, composting, basket composting or zai-composting, dynamic kraaling
whereby the kraal in which animals stay at night moves over the arable land, zero-grazing units
where animal are fed day and night, trees as windbreak, agroforestry-systems, green manuring
with
Mucuna
or
Crotalaria
spp., crop rotation, contour ploughing, manure protection, use of
neem leaves, ridge boxing, nursing and transplanting early millet, use of white acacia trees that
drop their fertile leaves in the rainy season, animal traction, use of cashew trees as climbing
stakes for yams, and the use of the maize sheller (Box 4) are all experiments conducted by male
Box 7 The principle steps in a participatory extension
process (Reijntjes
et
al
. 1992)
Participatory extension methods are cyclic and ongoing processes. They should be
owned by the target groups but can be initialised and guided by outsiders.
Step 1
Meet the community, group of farmers and get to know each other. Building
trust is important.
Step 2
Identify the key problem in agriculture or any other topic to which the extension
method is focusing. The Participatory Research Action method may be helpful to
find the key problem.
Step 3
List possible solution for the key problem; excursions, expert consultation and
visiting research stations could be used to list options; farmers know also
solutions themselves - by the end there should be a basket full of options.
Step 4
Let the target group select one or two options to try out. Try to find indicators
to measure the impact of the tried options.
Step 5
Make a plan to implement the chosen options.
Step 6
Share the results with everybody who wants to know.
Step 7
Evaluate the results: did it solve the problem? If yes, tackle the next key problem
and continue with step 3. If no, try another solution.
