COMMUNIQUE OF THE THIRD NATIONAL SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE ON GENETIC RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND UTILISATION HELD AT PROF. E.A. ADEBOWALE TRAINING HALL, IAR&T, IBADAN, ON 23 – 24 MARCH, 2021.1.0

 Preamble

The Third National Summit and Conference on Genetic Resources Conservation and Utilization was held at Prof. E.A. Adebowale Training Hall, IAR&T, Ibadan, on 23 – 24 March, 2021 with the theme ‘Promoting Sustainable Conservation and Utilization of Genetic Resources for Food Security in Nigeria’’The summit was organized to accommodate both virtual and physical presentations because of the rules and regulations on Covid-19. 

The host of the summit was Dr. Sunday E. Aladele, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).

 The meeting had about 200 local participants and over a hundred virtual participants from both within and outside Nigeria draw professionals from fields of Plant Breeding, Biotechnology, Plant Genetics, Seed Science, Genetic Resources, Taxonomy and Animal Breeding from Universities, Research Institutes, Ministries, Government Agencies, and Non-Governmental Organization. Goodwill messages were presented by the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde and Commissioner of Agriculture, Oyo State. Other good will messages were from the Honorable Minister for Agriculture; Director General /Executive Directors of Federal Research Institutes in Nigeria., Director General, Raw Material Research and Development Council Abuja and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, First Technical University, Ibadan. There were ten lead Paper presentations and twenty-six (26) other presentations from all fields of Genetic Resources with key note address from Professor C.N. Egesi (Director, NextGen Cassava Project and welcome address from The Host, Dr. Sunday E. Aladele, the Director and Chief Executive Officer of NACGRAB. From these presentations: The following strength and challenges were highlighted;Strength: 1. The meeting recognized that NACGRAB is the nodal Centre of excellence for plant and animal genetic resources conservation and utilization. 

It highlighted the need for networking with relevant research institutes, government organizations, universities and NGOs in the areas of collection, conservation and utilization of genetic resources in the country. It also acknowledged the need to continue and to strengthen collaborative efforts of NACGRAB and other research institutes, governmental organizations, universities and NGOs.2. 

Nigeria is rich in diversity of germplasm especially cereals, root and tuber crops, trees and forest species etc. Similarly, the country is rich in local breeds of animals, fish, birds and local chickens. 3. Availability of experienced experts but with the curve skewed positively to older generation. A focal office for collection, coordination, linkages with other institutions and release of animal breeds and improved crop varieties to farmers were highlighted.4. Strong collaboration with other international organizations and CGIAR centers such as IITA, ICRISAT and other Agencies with NACGRAB was highlighted.

 This collaboration should be expanded to other organizations and strengthened by desirable legal framework; and where necessary, the required counterpart funding be budgeted for.

Our Challenges that were identified include but not limited to Genetic erosion of GR materials for reason of poor collection, documentation, conservation, preservation and storage as well as poor data management.

Inadequate gene banks for proper maintenance of GR materials for several workers in various part of Nigeria despite the large size of our nation and many research institutes and numerous users of GR materials across the country.There are no adequate existing protocols for development of capacity. No legal frame work for ownership of germplasm materials discovered by scientists, farmers and other stakeholders until recently when a bill was passed and assented to by the President. 

 Lack of facilities to do proper, planned and consistent collection, and storage especially power supply that makes the maintenance of the only gene bank very expensive due to consistent relying on alternative power from power generator in the face of very expensive diesel to run them.

The serious need to document the flora and fauna of Nigeria since the last one was done in 1974.Poor funding of the only existing genebank with heavy reliance on partnerships with international donors. For example, NACGRAB’s only genebank suffers serious neglect in befitting buildings, laboratory facilities, important reagents and regular maintenance of the Genetic materials presently kept ex-situ and in-situ.

Ineffective funding policy for research: For example, any amount beyond 5Million Naira needs to go through procurement and this policy does not only delay research but prolongs the duration of its completion; hence the scientist will not be able to achieve more than 20% level each year.   

 Opportunities The passage of Bill on Plant variety Right is an opportunity for Nigeria to join UPOV and not as observer any longer. FAO had put in place opportunity to access all GR material from different parts of the globe with a token. FAO is also willing to share GR related platform for use of International scientists but may be for a token. 

The Way Forward Yearly collection of genetic materials of the Nation with a well-structured calendar of collection, planned and adequately budgeted for. There is need to facilitate the establishment of community genebanks across the various ecological zones of the Nigeria to enable in situ conservation of Genetic Resources.

The need for four (4) regional gene banks to complement NACGRAB’s gene bank and to provide opportunities for duplicate materials of NACGRAB to be deposited in them in case of natural hazards and to enhance the utilization of GR materials by scientists in all regions. Capacity building of at least one hundred (100) young scientists annually in the various fields of germplasm collection, management and utilization; considering the size of Nigeria, diversity of the germplasms, members of the research institutes and the quantum of the assignment of the research institutes. This will enable the experience of the older Scientists to mentor them. The recently signed bill on plant varietal right should be gazetted, copies distributed to relevant stakeholders and offices for the effective performance of the Act.

Documentation of flora and fauna requires periodic action and attention every five years, digitally preserved and placed on the website of NACGRAB for easy access of the users. 

NACGRAB collaborations especially with international partners and agencies including NGO should be expanded and strengthened by desirable legal framework; and where necessary required counterpart funding be budgeted for and a strong network system be put in place for sharing of literatures, knowledge, platform, common research facilities and exchange of scientists. Funding policies on Agriculture and Agriculture related research should be reviewed with Ministry of Finance, Accountant General and Bureau of Public Procurement to gain full understanding and peculiarities of Agricultural Research, which are time-bound and ecology-specific. Poor funding of Germplasm collection, evaluation, documentation, management and conservation should be reviewed upward to take care of the peculiar realities of genetic resources that are not only wasting away but are gradually going into extinction and may be lost forever; knowing full well that the coming generation rely heavily on the preservation of these materials.

There is need to harness the economic benefits of Nigeria multi-flora and fauna diversity and potential by preserving them for foreign exchange. There is need to conserve the beneficial microbes of Nigeria for future utilization.The potential for application of genetic resources in climate smart agriculture needs to be explored further.