A couple of years back, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development embarked on a journey, from the use of inorganic to organic fertilizer in the country. It is heart warming to note that favourable results are already being recorded, although the journey is still far.
The decision to embark on this journey was predicated upon the fact that despite all the efforts of the Federal Government to enhance productivity with a view to exporting some of our local produce for increased foreign exchange earnings, things have still not been well with that sector along that line. The major challenges making the country’s agricultural produce to be rejected, have been identified, but the officials that are to take necessary actions have not deemed it necessary to deal with these challenges headlong.
Every time, Nigerians are inundated with the news of Nigerian agricultural products being rejected abroad because of chemical residues found in them. Between 2016 and 2018, the country’s total agricultural exports was driven by export of sesame seeds, fermented cocoa beans, cashew nuts, ginger, crude palm kernel oil, soya beans, frozen shrimps and prawns among other commodities.
Nigeria has a very great future if only the people in charge of the sector could take the bull by the horn, once and for all, and adopt the use of organic fertilizers for the farmers right from land preparation stage to seed treatment, planting, proper handling during harvest as well as meticulous post harvest handling, preservation and packaging for markets. Application of high dosage of chemicals that are injurious to human health to grow and preserve these produce most of the time have been the cause of these rejections at the international markets.
We are also not unaware of the political dimension of these international organizations that are in charge of these standards. Most times, some of our produce that are rejected over there, when they pass through other countries in West Africa to Europe, US, Canada etc, they are not rejected because they do not come from Nigeria directly. This makes it clear that these international bodies use double standard in their activities.
The latest foreign trade data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the top 10 agricultural products exported from Nigeria are estimated at N82.3 billion, and that there is a 9% decline in the revenue made from the top 10 agricultural products in the first quarter of 2019 while the revenue of agricultural products export dropped from N91.2 billion generated in the last quarter of 2018 to N82.3 billion.
With the above, it is very clear that Nigeria needs to wake up and do everything possible to redeem this important sector that promises to quickly unlock and enhance Nigeria’s shared economic prosperity. Organic Fertilizer should be embraced by all farmers and promoted by government at all levels: the Federal, States and Local Governments in Nigeria as a matter of utmost urgency.
In its vigorous pursuit of solution to the problem of chemical residues found in our produce at the international markets, organic fertilizers are now being embraced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In response to this government move, there have been hundreds of producers of organic fertilizers all over the place. The most worrisome thing now is that most of these organic solutions being paraded by some people are not really fertilizers. Some of them are mere crop protectants and not fertilizers.
The government is hereby called upon to do thorough laboratory investigation and examination before approving any of these products, most of which are substandard and do not meet the standard international requirements.
INTRODUCING NANO ORGANIC FERTILIZER MIRACLE 1&2 ORGANIC SELECTIVE AND NON SELECTIVE HERBICIDES & ORGANIC INSECTICIDE
Among the few ones that have been tested and certified by the Inputs Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is NANO ORGANIC FERTILIZER MIRACLE 1&2 ORGANIC SELECTIVE AND NON SELECTIVE HERBICIDES & ORGANIC INSECTICIDE. It combines a whole lot of functions on the crop.
Answering questions from 9News Nigeria correspondents, Mr. Chimezie who is the CEO of NANO Organic Fertilizer in Nigeria, explained the process of application of their product on seedlings before planting for effective result.
To start from the beginning, Mr. Chimezie said seeds should be soaked with Miracle 1 by drawing out 10ml from formula 1 mix with 20 litres of water knapsack, soak the seeds in the water for 30-40 minutes. After that, the seeds should be removed and spread under a shed where sun shouldn’t touch them until they dry, after which they would be ready for planting.
As for Cassava stems, yam and sugarcane, they should be soaked for 2hrs in a 200litres of water drum, pull out the transparent cover of big bottle of Miracle1, 1litre and fill the cover once and mix with the water in the drum, then soak the stems. After 2hrs, remove them and dry them under a shed where sun cannot touch them. When they dry, then they are ready for planting.
Seven days after the crops have geminated, draw out 20ml of Miracle 1 and mix in 20 litres of water and spray on their leaves early morning from 6am to 10am or in the evening when the sun is not hash, like 5pm till dark. Keep spraying every 1 to 2 weeks until the crops show that they are about to start giving fruits then you can stop spraying Miracle 1 and start spraying Miracle 2 until their fruits are matured, then you stop spraying.
VEGETABLES In vegetables, you only use Miracle 1 because they don’t bear fruits, mix 10, 15 or 20 ml in 20litres of water every 1 -2 weeks depending on the soil condition.
TUBERSIn tubers such as yam, cassava, onions, carrots, ginger, groundnuts, cocoyam etc. mix Miracle 1&2 together in reissue of (10ml to 10ml) and spray every time 1 to 2 weeks until they mature.
HOW TO USE ORGANIC HERBICIDESMeasure 200ml in 20 litres of water and spray on grasses, it kills within 2 days. 150ml in 20litres of water (knapsack) kills within 3 days. 100ml – 120ml can kill within 4 – 5 days
In herbicide we have general herbicide that kills everything.
Selective herbicide for rice which does not kill rice or other crops that are in rice family.
Selective herbicide for cassava which does not kill cassava or any other crops that are in cassava family.
HOW TO USE ORGANIC INSECTICIDE/PESTICIDEDraw 200ml and mix in 20 litres of water, then spray on the crops, any kind of insect/pests that is attacking the crops will all die.
All these organic set of farm inputs do not leave any residue on the crops and the soil. They are also not harmful to humans and animals.
Mr. Chimezie concluded that most of NANO’s organic insecticides are now in powdered formulas for good reasons.
AAC BIO INCECTICIDE for insect attacks and diseases control
AAC SUPERTRICHROPLUS for soil diseases eg Nematodes and many other diseases / insects
20 – 25 gm in 20litres of water knapsack to be sprayed on the crops
SUPERTRICHROPLUS can be used to treat the soil by pouring it on the planting hole or soak the roots of the crops in it before planting.
For more details contact Mr. CHIMEZIE MALUZE +2349032200235, +2347085180999
IGBE SIMEON +2348023263274, + 2347026231633
Email: [email protected]
