A professor of Soil Fertility at the Department of Agriculture, University of Ibadan in Oyo State, Olugbenga Adeoluwa, has urged governments at all levels to leverage organic farming for improved food security in Nigeria.

He gave this advice during the 10th Venerable Emmanuel Alayande Memorial Distinguished Alumni Lecture, organised by Ibadan Grammar School Old Students’ Association, held at the school premises in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday.

The PUNCH reports that the late Alayande, who was born on 10 January 1910 and died on 27 October 2006, was the principal of the school for more than 20 years.

Delivering his lecture titled “Organic Farming: A Panacea to Failing Human and Environmental Health,” the varsity don explained that the pursuit of high-quality and safer food through organic agriculture cannot be left to farmers alone, as it requires multi-stakeholder action.

Adeoluwa said, “To make organic agriculture mainstream and effective, coordinated efforts are necessary at the policy, community, research, and consumer levels.

“Government should establish or reinforce transparent certification frameworks that are affordable for smallholder farmers, ensuring consumer trust.

“Provide subsidies, tax incentives, and grants for farmers transitioning to organic systems. Support must also include infrastructure investments—storage, transport, and processing to reduce post-harvest losses,” he stressed.

The don also charged farmers to shift from chemical dependency to ecological practices such as crop diversification, composting, and biological pest control.

Earlier, the President-General worldwide of the association, Dayo Onakoya, said the event was more than a lecture, describing it “as a celebration of legacy, scholarship, and enduring values that have defined the school for generations.”

He, therefore, called on the State Government to provide adequate security for the infrastructure being put in place in the school as well as for the lives of the principals, teachers, and students of the school.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the annual lecture, Ibru Goodie, also described the late Alayande as an astute school administrator who ensured that he became conversant with the pranks they played as students.

Dignitaries at the event were Retired Presiding Judge, Court of Appeal, Mojeed Owoade; a professor of Biochemistry, Babajide Elemo; old students, current students and a host of others.