Global Trends in Horticulture – SS3 Horticulture and Crop Production Lesson Note (Second Term)

Global trends in horticulture are the new standards and styles of farming that growers all over the world are moving toward. The two biggest are organic certification and agribusiness.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain what global trends in farming are;
2. define organic certification and describe the steps to get certified;
3. state why certified organic food sells at a price premium;
4. list the components of agribusiness and give examples of value addition;
5. describe the modern trends in agribusiness;
6. state the challenges Nigerians face in joining these trends and the skills needed to prepare.

What are global trends in horticulture?

Global trends are the standards and methods that buyers and farmers across the world are adopting.

• Past: a gardener only cared about what the local village market wanted.
• Today: the internet and fast air transport let a farmer in Kano sell tomatoes to a supermarket in London.
• Requirement: to sell abroad, a farmer must meet the rules and quality that foreign buyers expect.
• Trend 1: organic certification, which proves that food is grown by natural methods.
• Trend 2: agribusiness, which treats the farm as a professional company.

What is organic certification?

Organic certification is a written guarantee from an official organisation that a farm truly uses natural methods.

• The problem: a buyer in Germany does not know you, so your word that pineapples are “organic” is not enough.
• The solution: an official body inspects the farm and states in writing that it follows organic rules.
• Why it is like a passport: it allows your fruit to enter expensive international markets.

What are the steps to get certified?

There are three main steps to get organic certification: the conversion period, the inspection and record keeping.

1. The conversion period: you cannot stop using chemicals today and be certified tomorrow. Usually the farm must use natural methods for 2 to 3 years so old chemicals clear from the soil.
2. The inspection: an inspector visits the farm. The inspector looks at the compost pile, checks the seeds and may test the water.
3. Record keeping: write down where seeds were bought, when manure was added and how pests were controlled. If it is not written down, the inspector cannot confirm it happened.

Why do farmers get certified?

Certified organic food sells at a price premium, which means a higher price than the same food grown by ordinary methods.

• Higher price: buyers in Europe and America often pay more for produce with a “Certified Organic” label.
• Trust: the certificate shows buyers the claim has been checked.
• Market access: it opens export markets that demand proof of natural methods.

What is agribusiness?

Agribusiness is the running of farming as a business that covers the whole value chain, from seed to the final consumer.

• Old view: farming is something people do only to survive.
• Agribusiness view: farming is a business that earns profit at every stage.
• Value chain: the full set of stages a crop passes through before it reaches the person who eats it.

What are the components of agribusiness?

Agribusiness has four components: input supply, production, processing and marketing and distribution.

• Input supply: selling good seeds, fertilisers and farm tools to farmers.
• Production: growing the crops, which is what people usually call farming.
• Processing (value addition): changing raw produce into a more valuable product.
• Marketing and distribution: finding buyers, branding the product with a name and logo, and getting it to the store.

What is value addition?

Value addition is processing a raw farm product into a different product that sells for more.

What are the modern trends in agribusiness?

There are three modern trends in agribusiness: direct-to-consumer selling, traceability and sustainability branding.

• Direct-to-consumer: farmers skip the middleman and sell straight to city families through social media such as Instagram or WhatsApp.
• Traceability: buyers want to know which farm a fruit came from. A QR code on the pack, when scanned with a phone, can show the farm and the farmer.
• Sustainability branding: customers prefer farms that treat workers well and do not waste water. Being a responsible farmer helps sales.

How do organic certification and agribusiness differ?

Organic certification proves how food was grown. Agribusiness is how the farm is run as a business. The two work together.

What challenges do Nigerians face in joining these trends?

Nigerian farmers face three main challenges: high certification cost, strict standards, and poor power supply for cold storage.

1. High cost of certification: paying inspectors, especially international ones, can be expensive.
2. Strict standards: if an inspector finds a forbidden chemical in the soil or produce, certification can be refused or withdrawn.
3. Power and cold chain: fruits and flowers spoil quickly. Without steady electricity for cold rooms and fridges, it is hard to compete abroad.

How can SS3 students prepare?

SS3 students can prepare by building digital, management and quality skills, because modern farming needs more than a hoe.

• Digital skills: to market goods online and reach buyers directly.
• Management skills: to keep the careful records that certification needs.
• Quality mindset: to know that “good enough” is not enough for the global market. Produce must be of export quality.

Evaluation

1. What are global trends in farming?
2. Define organic certification and state why it is compared to a passport.
3. List the three steps to get certified as an organic farm.
4. Name the four components of agribusiness and give two examples of value addition.
5. State three challenges Nigerian farmers face in joining global trends.

Assignment

Explain the three modern trends in agribusiness (direct-to-consumer, traceability and sustainability branding), and give one example of each.