On September 8, 2025, I had the rare privilege of visiting a large-scale agroecology and organic farm located in Kwali, Abuja. As a university student currently in my 400 level, I have mostly encountered agriculture through textbooks and lectures.
This visit, however, gave me a new perspective: sustainable, chemical-free farming is not just a small backyard experiment – it can happen on a massive scale, with economic, social, and environmental benefits.
Agroecology is a holistic approach that integrates ecological principles, traditional knowledge, and modern science to create resilient farming systems. It optimises the interactions between plants, animals, humans, and the environment. During my visit, I saw how a well-managed agroecology farm can provide food, jobs, training, energy, potential of its solving farmer herder clash, and even tourism opportunities, while regenerating the land and conserving biodiversity.
The farm sits on over 10 acres and incorporates diverse systems working in harmony. I was amazed to see a large cattle ranch with more than 200 healthy-looking cows, producing a mountain of manure that is composted and applied back to the fields. Even cattle urine is harnessed as a base for organic bio-pesticides, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals.
The farm practices multi-cropping and intercropping models, growing a vast majority of corps like maize, ginger, groundnut, okra, kale, peppers, turmeric, cassava, pineapple, banana, plantain, ginger, and tomatoes growing side by side. This ecological diversity keeps pests in check naturally and maintains soil fertility. Rows of bamboo and trees planted through agroforestry help prevent erosion, provide shade, produce timber, decoration lamps, electric poles, and even attract bees for honey production.
It was also striking to see that the entire facility – including a very large farm school with hostels – runs 100% off-grid, powered by renewable energy. The farm doubles as a training and knowledge center, aptly called The Green Academy, where farmers, students, and community members are trained in organic farming, seed saving, soil health, and agroforestry. Beyond agriculture, the farm integrates tourism and eco-resorts, showcasing how diversified rural enterprises can be.
Unlike conventional farming, agroecology reduces dependency on expensive inputs like fertilisers and pesticides. It is affordable, practical, and climate-resilient. For smallholder farmers who form the bulk of Nigeria’s food producers, agroecology provides a pathway to higher productivity, improved incomes, and environmental regeneration.
The Kwali farm proves that large-scale agroecology is not only possible but practical. With the right partnerships, similar models can be replicated nationwide. To make this happen, the experts in the farm recommended the following essential steps:
- Community Mobilisation: Awareness campaigns in local communities and schools about the benefits of agroecology.
- Training Programmes: Partnerships between NGOs, universities, and agricultural extension services to train farmers.
- Support for Local Seeds and Composting: Encouraging the use of indigenous seeds and organic soil health practices.
- Infrastructure: Governments to provide land access, water harvesting, and basic support systems.
- Policy and Incentives: Secure land tenure, subsidies, and funding support for agroecological practices.
- Youth Engagement: Integrating agroecology into university curricula and encouraging students to gain practical, hands-on knowledge outside the classroom.
As a student, the biggest lesson for me is that our universities and lecturers must go beyond theory and curriculum, and create opportunities for students to experience real, practical innovations like this. If more young people visit farms like the one in Kwali, it would change how we see agriculture – not as subsistence drudgery, but as an innovative, profitable, and climate-friendly future.
My visit to the Kwali agroecology farm was eye-opening and inspiring. It demonstrated that sustainable farming is not just an idea but a working reality that integrates food production, environmental care, and economic empowerment. Replicating such farms across Nigeria is urgent and achievable. With proper support, agroecology can transform rural communities, reduce poverty, and ensure resilient food systems for the future.
By Idowu Oreofeoluwa Emmanuel, Department of Agricultural Engineering (400L), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State
