Several years after [Nigeria’s] textile industry had gone moribund, the Federal Government has concluded plans to resuscitate the sector by supplying…[two varieties of Bt insect resistant] cotton [seeds] to all industries across the country.
Acting Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Alex Akpa …. said Genetically-Modified cotton has been distributed to no fewer than 1000 large-scale farmers across [Nigeria].
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“The benefits are enormous. They include job creation and a boost to the economy,” Akpa said. “If we produce excess cotton, we can begin to export because short supply is a problem in many countries.”
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When asked if the government had not provided enough cotton to farmers, Akpa reiterated that the first recipients were large-scale farmers who can employ no fewer than 150-500 workers, adding that “this is just the beginning and [the] government is committed to increasing [the volume] soon.”
“I think it is a good number to start with, because it will be handled by massive industrial farmers who are fully mechanized and understand the process ….” Akpa added.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on a Nigerian news site. This summary has been lightly edited for clarity.
Read full, original article: FG moves to revive textile industries
