Farmers to discuss organic farming techniques at 5th National Organic Week
The Week will also highlight the contribution of organic farming in combating climate change which is becoming a big global challenge.
The Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) is organizing the 5th Annual National Organic Week (NOW) 2023 to promote agroecological farming techniques and the consumption of organic foods in the country.
The 5th Annual National Organic Week will start on Monday, September 25 2023 and end on September 29 2023. The national chairperson of ESAFF Uganda, Hakim Baliraine, said several promotional activities have been lined up.
These include community dialogues, radio talk shows, engagement with Agroecology Clubs in schools and a dialogue as the climax event. These activities will take place in the districts of Soroti, Gulu, Masaka, Lira, Amuru, Amuria, Adjumani, Kisoro, Kasese, Mbale, Kamuli, Jinja and Mityana.
Baliraine said the Week provides a platform for dialogue between policymakers and small-scale farmers on how to sustainably use organic and biological farming methods.
He added that the Week also aims to increase awareness of organic products and their benefits among consumers and to position indigenous seed varieties as the best adaptation strategy to address the impacts of climate change.
The Week will also highlight the contribution of organic farming in combating climate change which is becoming a big global challenge.
“In the heart of every farmer, the National Organic Week leaves a lasting imprint. It’s a time when we reflect on the true essence of our craft, nurturing the land, and tending to the roots of sustainability,” Baliraine said in a statement.
“This Week reminds us that the choices we make today, in support of organic farming, will bear fruit for generations to come. It’s not just a celebration; it’s a commitment to our planet’s health and the legacy we leave behind in conserving our environment,” he added.
It is highly believed that adopting organic farming can play an important role in the country’s food value chain and further save the country’s environment from being degraded by commercial farming.
Baliraine said commercial farming usually depends on inorganic farming inputs that are considered to be very dangerous to the environment. Agroecological experts are now urging local farmers to resort to organic farming inputs like locally produced fertilizers and pesticides.
This year’s theme is Promoting Agroecological Farming Techniques and Healthy Foods.
