Biotechnology: Nigeria’s potential great – DG NABDA
The Director General, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Professor Lucy Ogbadu, said that Nigeria has great future in Biotechnology in the Agricultural Sector given the enabling environment.
Ogbadu, who described Biotechnology as a cutting-edge tool that has the potential of changing the way farming is done and ensuring a food secured Nigeria, said these while addressing participants on the occasion of the North East Zonal 2017 Hosting of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria’s Chapter, in collaboration with the Programme for Biosafety Systems (PBS), Washington, the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and the Taraba State Government, held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo, Taraba state capital.
She said that, “We are on a sensitization tour on the need to use Biotechnology and to further appreciated the state government for its numerous assistance to the Technology Incubation Centre and the establishment of the Green House Project, all in Jalingo the state capital.
“The application of biotechnology in the agricultural sector would help in alleviating problems currently faced by the local farmers, especially, with the growing concern about the environmental impacts of large scale use of insecticides and pesticides and the campaign launched to reduce the use of such chemicals.”
Ogbadu said that Biotechnology tools can be utilized to produce plants that would be resistant to pests thus reducing the use of pesticides, adding that, “Biotechnology tools can also be applied to improve the nutritional quality of crops, thus curbing malnutrition, especially in the North-East part of our country.
I want to appeal to the media to have a rethink on the coverage and reportage of biotechnology, because Nigeria has the finest opportunity to key into it to be able to feed herself and grow the economy.”
She said Science delivers tangibles and facts that can’t be dismissed with emotions, pointing out that, “You can only dismiss scientific facts with more scientific motions, Agric. biotech is the future for African Agriculture.
No nation becomes great without science and technology.
I urge media to report science based on evidence and facts.”
Earlier, in an address of welcome, the Taraba State Commissioner, Ministry of Science and Technology, Alh. Hassan Hamman appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, who, he said, had promised significant investment in agriculture.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, through its Agency, the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), for playing a tremendous role in encouraging the use of science as a major driver of our development efforts, leading to a knowledge- based economy.
The Commissioner said by this creative initiative, it has become possible for Nigerians to identify their need for improved agricultural technology and recognize where they stand in the scheme of things in terms of the efforts to achieve global food security through sustainable agricultural practice in a knowledge- based economy.
Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo
