Organic Solutions Agro multi- Cooperative Society ltd is farmer led social organization registered under The Co-operative Societies Act 98 2004, as multi-purpose co-operative to engage in crop production and processing, agro-input selling, among other activities that may be added depending on general meeting decision, in accordance with the society’s bye-laws.
Organic solutions cooperative is promoting a 100% organic agriculture.
Organic Solutions Agro multi- Cooperative Society ltd started operating in Enugu State Nigeria, through mobilizing farmers for basic peer skills and knowledge sharing on how to save and to make innovative production in agriculture investments and guiding them on forming Self Help Groups (SHGs) through which they would raise incomes to improve on their livelihoods. Currently we operate with about 98 farmer groups with 2500 active members so far dealing in all the agricultural value chains.
Our cooperative remains the only cooperative with its members in all the wards/towns in Enugu State.
BASIC INFORMATION
Organic Solutions Agro multi- Cooperative Society ltd is farmer led business organization registered under The Co-operative Societies Act, with number EN 24652 as multi-purpose co-operative to engage in crop production and processing, agro-input selling, among other activities that may be added depending on general meeting decision, in accordance with the society’s bye-laws.
We started as Enugu Youth farmer’s forum and Enugu farmers associations forum which finally led to the foundation for the Organic Solutions Agro multi coop society ltd.
The farmers in Organic cooperative use different technologies to address main issues and have high yields of harvest.
Participating towns, Villages and Institutions
All the town and wards in Enugu State are represented in our cooperative.
INNOVATIONS
Improved and modern farming Techniques
Organic Agriculture (Plant And Animals)
No-Till farming.
Livestock and Modern ranching
PARTNERS
Farmers, farmer-groups and Communities.
Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation.
Southfield Agro Network etc
Researchers
Pergasus USA.
Bankers
Keystone Bank PLC
Stakeholders
Chief Ken Mbah
President
Hon Giovanni Madubuaku
Vice President
Engr. Obum Okeke
Secretary
Hon. Pedro Nwankwo
Treasurer
OPPORTUNITIES ADDRESSED
We have now over 5000 farmers engaged in crop value chain production, harvest of over 5000 metric tons of cassava, Ready with contractual market with high volumes of supply needed, having good new management model for implementation and availability of land, Farmers have at least acquired basic agronomy practice knowledge in crops and animal like Maize, Cassava, Rice, Poultry. livestock ETC
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE
The organic solutions agro cooperative sponsored the registration of cassava farmers in the state and we have also assisting the Ministry of agriculture in registering farmers in all the value chains. And have maintained good connection with all the farmers in the state.
We have started small scale production of organic fertilizers and compost from home and agricultural wastes and the products have been tested by farmers in the state and has been confirmed okay.
We plan to set up the production in all the towns in Enugu state to ease the cost of fertilizers and encourage a healthy and export valuable products.
Training our members on Productions of organic fertilizers and ensuring our members avoid you of artificial fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides.
Our cooperative has empowered youths and woman in the local production of fertilizers and pesticides. Having conducted free trainings in various LGAs of the State, we have also promoted good farm practice training for farmers.
Our Enugu AGRICTEC project which is still ongoing has the following advantages:
One man One palm and plant a tree Projects
Training on cash crop farming
Training on micro biogas technology
ETC We are yet to get the attention of the Government.
Agrictec was designed to play a strategic role in the achieving of an agro development plan
There’s already about 5000 farmers database registered with over 2500 actively engaged in productive work and we target producing between 2000 – 7000 metric tons annually
We also assisted the ministry in identifying the location of all the tractors owned my Enugu State Government.
We also applied to assist ministry repair the old tractors but we are yet to get response.
CHALLENGES REMAINING
There’s limited funds to facilitate the value chain activities, poor community infrastructures like roads, network for communications, lack of storage facilities and post-harvest handling facilities, access to quality inputs for high production, theft of grains etc. Problems of herdsmen attack.
We are also seeking for Tractors, Processing equipment and machines.
SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
The organization have best cooperative model its following to run most of its activities engaging with most important stakeholders.
Growing crops to sustain the supply chain and mobilization of members.
Have stakeholders from inputs to outputs. Have and continue with the training of members and stakeholders in knowledge needed to produce and manage different activities along different value chains.
If the training is sustained over 45% of farmers in Enugu State will not spend money on fertilizers, this will reduce the cost fertilizers and will reduce the cost of food in the state,
To sustain the production of fertilizers we intend to partner with the government to set up abattoirs in all the major markets in Enugu state to enable us increase the production of fertilizers.