By Dele Ogbodo
The Director General, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha has narrated how Nigerian farmers have in recent times swiftly shrugged off the burden of misinformation and disinformation about Genetically Modified Organisms/crops, which is the by-product of Biotechnology deployment for food security and pharmaceutical products.
According to him, these unfounded and unsubstianted narratives were heaped on them by some armchair narratives of the anti-Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs) gangs.
The recent wave of acknowledgement and understanding by the Nigerians farmers of biotechnology, the DG underscored is already yielding significant results, particularly at the grassroots level, where there is a growing appreciation for biotechnology’s capabilities to enhance food security and improve livelihoods.
The agency he added has become a driving force in utilizing biotechnology to enhance the quality of life for Nigerians and mitigate socioeconomic obstacles to development.
The DG, who made the disclosure at the end of its year get together with journalists at its NABDA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
He said: “Already, there are testimonies from farmers across the country who are benefiting from products of modern agricultural biotechnology in the country such as the Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea developed by Nigerian scientists at Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria which is helping farmers overcome the devastating impacts of Marcuca vitrata that causes 80% destruction on the farmers’ field.
“Today, the farmers are applying only 2 insecticide sprays as against 8 to 10 sprays previously as a result of planting the PBR cowpea.
“The farmers are also planting Bt. cotton, another innovative product from modern biotechnology that is changing the game in cotton farming and the hope of the textile industry’s revival on course.”
According to him, all these have been made possible through the over 14-year partnership the agency share with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Agricultural Research Council (ARCN) and Bayer Agriculture Nigeria Plc, according that the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB)-Nigeria Chapter, an initiative of AATF, is yet another project of importance in the area of awareness creation.
Mustapha, said: “Through its various programmes and projects, OFAB has embarked on a mission to enhance knowledge sharing and awareness on agricultural biotechnology that would raise understanding and appreciation of the technology by bringing together stakeholders in the field of biotechnology and the public as a whole to interact, share and exchange knowledge, experiences, contacts and exploring new avenues of bringing the benefits of biotechnology to bear.
“OFAB Nigeria’s advocacy activities are in no way negligible to fast tracking President Tinubu’s food security agenda. The effective agricultural biotechnology advocacy campaign pioneered by OFAB Nigeria have had significant and positive impacts on the nation in the following ways:
“Increased farmer awareness and adoption of biotech crops: Campaign messaging that highlights the demonstrated benefits of biotech crops such as increased yields, reduced crop loss, and cost savings have convinced more smallholder farmers to plant genetically engineered varieties leading to expanded food production.
“Promotion of productive policy reforms: OFAB Nigeria’s advocacy for streamlining the approval processes for GM crops and subsidies that make biotech seeds more affordable for farmers has helped remove barriers to utilization of these technologies by farms of all scales. Supportive policies enabled rapid translation of biotech crops innovations from lab to field.
“Strengthened public research and development pipelines: Our advocacy initiatives has increased funding for vital crop biotechnology research taking place at universities and public institutes nationally.
“Investing further in R&D expands the future pipeline of tissue-culture planting materials, biofortified crops, drought-tolerant varieties and other solutions tailored to the needs of the country’s farmers and consumers.
“Countered misinformation on health/environmental risks: Our fact-based advocacy has provided reliable information on biosafety review processes and scientific consensus regarding health and ecosystem impacts.
“These counters scare tactics from anti-GM lobbyists that derail public support and policymaker buy-in for biotechnologies.” He said.
The DG, admitted that Africa’s foremost biotechnology development agency, it has been committed to harnessing biotechnology for sustainable national development.
Mustapha, said: “As an agency, we are fully aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security. NABDA, in collaboration with national and international partners, is already driving Nigeria’s economic growth with the commercialisation of two genetically modified crops, Bt. Cotton and Bt. Cowpea developed by Nigerian scientists at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, Kaduna State.
“Nigeria’s transgenic cowpea and the world’s first transgenic cowpea is revolutionizing the nation’s food production. Farmers who have planted and harvested this variety of cowpea have reported improved yields, reduced pests, reduced use of pesticides and enhanced livelihood. NABDA in collaboration with BIOCROPS Nigeria Ltd has revolutionized yam seedlings production, achieving its target of producing and distributing over two million yam seedlings to farmers.
“Great research progress has also been made towards the commercialisation of TELA maize, a collaborative research product of IAR, Zaria and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and which is drought tolerant and insect resistant. TELA Maize is expected to be commercially released by the National Varietal Release Committee, NACGRAB, Ibadan in 2024.
“The agency’s ongoing biotechnology research and development, strategic collaborations, and capacity-building programmes will continue to play a pivotal role in boosting food security, promoting sustainable farming practices, and fostering economic growth in Nigeria. These efforts underline NABDA’s commitment to Tinubu’s vision to address food insecurity in the country.
“Nigeria’s efforts at making biotechnology the fulcrum for national development have garnered international recognition and solidified Nigeria’s position as a key player in the global biotechnology landscape. This courtesy has also been extended to Nigerians, including the scientists, plant breeders and even the farmers who have been at the back end of the successes recorded so far with biotechnology.” He said.
He appreciated the media for their unwavering support and for being at the forefront in the communication of the science and relevance of biotechnology in the country, adding: “We cannot afford to let down our guards, as the stake keeps getting higher with evolving challenges.
“If we must change the narrative about Nigeria’s food security, the science of biotechnology must be communicated effectively. We must not allow biotechnology to become subject of cheap political and public discourse.
Your dedication to keeping the public rightly informed has been invaluable, he said.
