Dr. Rose Suniso Maxwell Gidado is the Assistant Director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Department at the National Biotechnology Development Agency |
Open
Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology [OFAB] has warned of the harmful effects of
application of herbicides and pesticides to the environment. Coordinator, OFAB,
Nigeria Chapter,Dr. Rose Gidado gave the warning at an event in Abuja.
She
noted that 70 per cent of the farmers’ activities were devoted to weed control
and that herbicides and other dangerous chemicals were used for the purpose.
She cautioned
that these chemicals were not only hazardous to the environment but also could cause
sicknesses and diseases to the farmers.
She
noted that apart from health hazards, the application of these chemicals lowered
the value of farm produce, adding that Nigerian beans were rejected recently by
European Union due to their chemical contents.
She
explained that to mitigate the impact of this ugly incident, the application of
agricultural biotechnology or genetically modified technology remains the only
solution to soil/environmental degradation and hazards.
She
pointed out that the only viable approach to ensuring environmental
sustainability and increasing food production was through agricultural mechanisation
and improving quality of seeds using plant breeding techniques or
biotechnology.
The
country Coordinator of OFAB asserted that agricultural biotechnology would
enhance crop yields, increase income for farmers, reduce pesticide use, leading
to improved health for farmers as well as improved nutritional content for
crops with vitamin A, iron and zinc.
She
pointed out that the use of biotechnology would ensure tolerance to
environmental stress like drought, flood and salinity.
Gidado
who spoke on “Achieving Food Security, the Role of Biotechnology,” said biotechnology or genetically modified
technology had huge potential to making Nigeria to be self -sufficient in food
production.
Said
she, “Nigeria has the potential to catch up with Asia and other developed
countries”, adding “we have the human capital, environment and all it takes to
be like Brazil, Asia and others.We must embrace science and technology for the
wind of change to be realised. We are already behind. The evolving technologies
are getting more complex.Let’s think of agricultural biotechnology. The future
is very bright.”
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