FG Urged to Invest in Biotechnology to Strengthen Food Security

The Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Nigeria’s National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), including agriculture and biotech experts in Nigeria, have advised the federal government and other African governments to proactively embrace biotechnology in strengthening food and nutrition security on the continent.

They gave the advice at a recent workshop in Abuja, with the theme: “PBR Cowpea (Beans)-A Model Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Food and Nutrition Security in Nigeria.”

They equally commended the federal government for the introduction of biotech cowpea in Nigeria, which they said, would further strengthen food and nutrition security in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

In his remarks, Counselor for Agricultural Affairs, US Mission Nigeria, Smith Gerald, noted that advances in agricultural biotechnology would help to improve crop yields.

He noted that the success of the transgenic bean has added a new crop to the global biotech basket from Africa, adding that Nigeria is championing the crucial role of biotech cowpeas.

“Thousands of farmers across Nigeria who planted the biotech cowpea this planting season, can attest to the multiple benefits they derived compared to prior seasons. The commercialisation of the transgenic bean underscores that extensive safety studies that were conducted to demonstrate that it is safe for both human and livestock consumption,” Gerald said.

He added that the new paradigm of scientific collaboration was due to unprecedented joint efforts and called on biotech and agricultural experts including multilateral entities, governments, the private sector, NGOs and academia, to strategically collaborate to increase the adoption of transgenic crops across Africa with the aim of strengthening food security.

“The workshop was a prime occasion for stakeholders in the biotech space to strengthen innovative partnerships, especially public, private partnerships that will drive the future of biotechnology in Nigeria. The commercialization of biotech cowpea has become the latest milestone in Nigeria’s robust biosafety regulatory process,” Gerald added.

The Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Mission in Nigeria partnered with National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), African Agricultural Technology Foundation, (AATF), National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa to organise the workshop.

Emma Okonji

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/11/11/fg-urged-to-invest-in-biotechnology-to-strengthen-food-security/