NBRDA DG raises alarm over impending famine, drought threats in Nigeria
By Msugh Ityokura
The Director-General, Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the National Biotechnology Research & Development Agency (NBRDA) Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has raised the alarm over drought threats and an impending famine in the country.
He therefore, called on government to embrace biotechnology which he noted has become more relevant than ever as a measure towards tackling the impending challenges.
“To counter these, it is turning to climate smart agricultural solutions such as high-yielding, drought tolerant maize, herbicide tolerant soybeans, bacterial blight resistant potato, pod borer resistant (PBR) cowpea and disease and insect tolerant cotton, innovations that have the potential to significantly improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Nigeria” he said.
Among the leading innovations in this field in Nigeria according to Mustapha are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products.
He spoke Monday, at a one-day sensitisation workshop on “Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their Products,” for the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja.
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The workshop was organised by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria Chapter, an initiative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) under the auspices of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA).
The DG noted that the sensitization workshop comes at a critical time when the developing and the underdeveloped countries around the world are grappling with compounded challenges such as food insecurity, climate change, biotic and abiotic stresses and the need for inclusive economic growth.
He said scientists in Nigeria have harnessed the technology to develop crops like Bt cotton, Bt maize and PBR cowpea which have since been commercialized saying these are not just scientific milestones, but real-world solutions that transform lives, improve food systems and strengthen farmer resilience.
However, we must also acknowledge.
He expressed reservations over the hurdles in an increasingly connected world with information as a powerful currency which has made the Social media and digital platforms have expanded access to knowledge, thus creating new communities and networks.
According to Mustapha, this connectivity has benefited many countries in the Global South, enabling data sharing, learning across borders and more strategic decision-making regretting that it has come with a downside, the troubling rise of information disorders namely, misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
“These distortions of truth are dangerous because they lead people to make decisions based on inaccurate or false information. In the context of GMOs and biotechnology, this has contributed to public skepticism, regulatory uncertainty and slow adoption of technologies that could improve millions of lives.
“That is why this forum is so crucial. It provides a platform for evidence-based dialogue, where diverse voices can come together to ask questions, share insights and build mutual understanding around biotechnology and its place in our agricultural future” he said.
In a time marked by an overflow of both facts and falsehoods, the DG noted, the role of the media as truth bearers and defenders of democracy has never been more vital.
“The strategic goals of this workshop are:
to raise awareness about the dangers of misinformation in science and technology; Create safe spaces for dialogue on contentious issues such as GMOs in food, and the broader challenge of addressing hunger in Nigeria and develop effective counter-narratives that can help reduce misinformation in the Nigerian media landscape, particularly around GMOs and their products.
The Chairman House of Representatives Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran noted the arguments in some quarters of GMOs contaminating local genetic resources, underming food diversity and increase hunger.
He urged participants to make informed decisions that prioritize the well-being of Nigerians and the environment, encouraging members to be attentive and thoughtful on discussion on the critical issue.
