COVID-19: Embrace backyard farming to avoid hunger – agric economist tells Nigerians

Thu, May 28, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Coronavirus Pandemic

AN Agricultural Economist,  Mr. Oscar Adindu,  on Thursday urged Nigerians to embrace backyard farming to boost food production and alleviate poverty during and COVID-19 pandemic.

Adindu, the Founder of Agrolife Farms in Isuaniocha, Anambra State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the federal, state, and local governments should start mobilising citizens toward backyard farming.

He said that backyard farming could ensure food security during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adindu described backyard farm as a mini or micro landscape farm, usually within a person’s neighbourhood or backyard, just for personal or family consumption.

According to him,   it can be a crop or livestock farm.

“The rate of backyard farming in Nigeria is still very low due to increased urbanisation, and rising food prices are pushing more people into poverty, increasing their vulnerability to insecurity and malnutrition.

“Backyard farming can play a very big role in alleviating food insecurity and poverty in Nigeria by boosting local and household food production.

“The produce from backyard farming are more nutritious than the ones purchased from markets because they are not genetically modified,” he told NAN.

Adindu added that there would not be chemicals, fertilisers or pesticides in produce from backyard farms.

“Backyard farming saves cost because you have easy access to food crops and meat from your backyard. It is cheaper than purchasing from the market.

“Having a backyard farm gives room for round-the-year food crop production; likewise, animals can be reared.

“It also serves as a means of  keeping fit and detoxifying the mind, “he said.

Adindu said that the COVID-19 pandemic could make many Nigerians suffer from acute hunger if nothing would done to promote farming and ensure food supply chains. (NAN)

– May 28, 2020 @ 14:25 GMT |

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