By Hillary Asemota
The Open Forum for Agriculture Biotechnology (OFAB), over the weekend said it has spent $6.3 million ($5 million plus $1.3 million) on media awards for Science and Editors reporting the beat as it concerns agriculture biotechnology 8 years ago.
Speaking to a cross spectrum of impressive turnout at the OFAB Africa Media Awards and Gala Dinner 2022 to journalists and representatives from 10 countries across the continent, the Project Manager, OFAB, Mr. Vitumbiko Chinoko, while reflecting on the 7-year journey said: Our calculation is that we have spent $5 million and for this particular event in 2022, we have spent $1.3 million.
He admitted that the relationship between OFAB and the media echoes volumes, adding…and this speaks to how serious we take the work of the media acknowledging that over the years that investment and synergy have truly paid off.
He reiterated: “We have been able to train across the 10 countries 16,000 journalists and 744 editors and across the different media landscape.
However, Chinoko, admitted its fissures on OFAB’s inability to bring both genders at par, adding…we have not done well on gender parity, we have only been able to reach 34% of women journalists, stressing: I think this is one of the things that we will continue to encourage women to get involved as we hope to improve on this gap.
“Over the years, we have also been able to reach out through the work of the media to 12, 840 policy makers through our media collaboration and 24 million farmers.
“It is also interesting to know that on average through our work each country has 15 strategic partners and those partners have helped us to push our work going forward. We have influenced about 12 laws and policies that have helped to deregulate crops in various countries and in Kenyan using our engagement we have been able to do a number of deregulations from the deregulation of Cotton and Maize, the Programme Manager, said.
Giving African Science journalists kudos, he explained: “I think why this has actually been happening is because the media has played a critical role and I don’t think that I can say everything on how the media has helped OFAB in propagating its mandate and course in downscaling the importance of biotechnology for Africa’s food security.
He said: “It has been invaluable to have you (the media) as our strategic partner and we know how much you are valued out there explaining that this partnership has helped to demystify and to breakdown the information in bits and pieces that will be understood by the people at the grassroot.
“Going forward, we will continue to work with the media, we have done this media award in this fashion that you have seen in the past 7 years and one of the things that we hope to do is to review it so that probably we can add more value to it and not abandon it.
“In my own assessment I think that as OFAB we are doing well in as much as gaps will be there for improvement and we hope that our work with the media and the different governments who are hosting us in different countries OFAB will continue to make a difference in making agricultural biotechnology a normal thing.”
On the changing narrative of biotechnology in Africa, he said: “Before now anytime time you mentioned agriculture biotechnology it appears as if you are mentioning a taboo.
We will continue normalising the process of biotechnology in all of our countries to the level where that we can talk about agricultural biotechnology without anyone raising their hands or may be looking over their shoulders.
We are hoping that the 10 countries in which we are is not the end, we hope that if we can come again to Nigeria in the next four years, we should talk about covering 30% of Africa and we can only do this with the help of the media, our partner government and other partners.
Chinoko, reiterated that OFAB started in 2006 as one chapter in Kenya and today, it has morphed to 10 Chapters across the different subregions, adding: “In South Africa, we are Malawi, Mozambique, in East Africa where AATF is headquartered we have a couple of countries in that region like Kenyan, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. In West Africa, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Nigeria.
“And these 10 countries where OFAB is working-in represent 19% of the 54 countries in African continent, meaning that there are still more grounds to conquer.
“In Ethiopia and Nigeria, we have been to accomplish the process of deregulation of Cowpea/Beans, Maize and Cotton and in Ghana we have been able to accomplish the process of deregulating Cowpea/Beans.”
Giving African Science journalists kudos, he explained: “I think all this has actually been happening is because the media has played a critical role and I don’t think that I can say everything on how the media has helped OFAB in propagating its mandate and course in downscaling the importance of biotechnology to Africa’s food security.
He said: “It is being a lot of value to have you (the media) as our strategic partner and we know how much you are valued out there and this partnership has really helped us to be able to reach but more importantly to demystify and breakdown the information in bits and pieces that will be understood by the people at the grassroot.
“Going forward, we will continue to work with the media, we have done this media award in this fashion that you have seen in the past 7 years and one of the things that we hope to do is to review it so that probably we can add more value to it and not abandon it.
“In my own assessment I think that as OFAB we are doing well in as much as gaps will be there for improvement and we hope that our work with the media and the different governments who are hosting us in different countries OFAB will continue to make a difference in making agricultural biotechnology a normal thing.”
On the changing narrative of biotechnology in Africa, he said: “Before now anytime time you mentioned agriculture biotechnology it appears as if you are mentioning a taboo.
We will continue normalising the process of biotechnology in all of our countries to the level where that we can talk about agricultural biotechnology without anyone raising their hands or may be looking over their shoulders.
We are hoping that the 10 countries in which we are is not the end, we hope that if we can come again to Nigeria in the next four years, we should talk about covering 30% of Africa and we can only do this with the help of the media, our partner government and we can only do this with a cross session of partnership.
In her remarks, Mrs. Eugenia Abu, a Media entrepreneur who was one of the judges in the 2022 edition, commended OFAB for instituting the award, stressing: “OFAB put this award so that the best of the best in Africa doing reportorial work in Biotechnology and Science Journalism will be able to shine with their works of excellence in the field.
According to the award-winning broadcaster, building capacity is one of the things that OFAB/AATF have been doing over the years adding that they have done extremely well across the different African subregions in promoting capacity building for the media even as she implored other organisations to join AATF and OFAB to provide this capacity building that is so much needed by journalists.
Abu, said, I would like to say that this is a night of reflection, night of expectation and anxious moments for journalists from the different Chapters, adding: “I encourage you journalists to build your capacity because you cannot give what you do not have.”
According to her, the fact that you members of the media are working in Biotechnology alone means that you are a winner because there are niche areas that many journalists are not working in and that you are already a winner by proving humanity with knowledge on food security through agricultural biotechnology.
The Guest Speaker who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashare, Gombe State, Prof. Umar Pate, said there is urgent need to develop platforms for engagement of the media information dissemination in agriculture technology and innovation because of the present shortage of food across the continent.
According to him, failure for timely and accurate releases of information or responses in the agriculture sector can lead to rumours, adding that when there is a gap you are giving room for rumours which may trigger people to frame anything and go to town to “say what they want to say in the instance of GMO crops.”
He said: “We know that there is serious food shortage in Africa, we know that we need innovative ways to produce food for our people, yet people may not know the innovative means that are available.
Pate, stressed that collaboration with the media for informed reportage will help defeat some of the lies and stereotypes that are associated with GMOs and about biotechnology, explaining that the media can influence government and policy makers to see the essence of investing in technology for agricultural productivity.
He said: “If we are able to do this, the media can be considered as a worthy partner deserving of every attention and engagement by our agricultural experts and also our partners.”
In his remarks, the DG of NABDA, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, OFAB in Nigeria has become household name especially in the media space as it is now synonymous with biotechnology and GMOs becoming a rallying point for information about the technology.
He acknowledged that the Nigerian Chapter has recorded tremendous milestones in creating the awareness and championing the education of policy makers, professional bodies, CSOs, teachers, farmers, students, extension workers and the public on the benefits of the biotechnology.
On achievements, he added: “Today our farmers are celebrating the release of Bt. Cotton and PBR Cowpea, both being products of modern biotechnology practice in the country to address challenges of insect and pest infestations leading to low yields, drought, soil infertility and climate change effects faced by farmers.
According to him, farmers are now experiencing 20-25% yield increase, reduction of chemical sprays from8-10 times down to 2-3 times.
Mustapha, said this initiative by AATF in 2017, tagged OFAB Media Awards with the aim of recognizing exemplary journalism that stimulates best practices in the adoption of agricultural technology that brings to bare, the critical role, the media plays in educating and informing the public about agricultural technologies and which holds annually has endeared the media to us and made them our strong allies by amplifying our messages to the public. The mystery behind OFAB being a household name in Nigeria.