As Nigeria struggles to address the increasing food challenge by its citizens, the director general, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha says the only option left for the country is to adopt science and technology to overcoming the challenge.
He said that primitive agricultural practices are facing various challenges and from what we are seeing all over the world, it is only science and technology that could rescue the country with the adoption of mechanised form of agriculture.
He said agricultural biotechnology sector in the country is undergoing a rapid transformation with scientists and researchers working round the clock to improve various crops, adding that some had been made with three crops: Cotton, Cowpea and Maize.
According to him, Cotton and Cowpea are already with farmers, while Maize will get to the farmers in one and the half years’ time, and has already been de-regulated by the National Biosafety Management Agency, meaning the genes of insert have been certified safe by the agency.
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“As a country, we must encourage our scientists to continue to work for the good of the country and the people. We have over 16 research institutes all over the country with the mandate to improve various crops,” [Mustapha said.]
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