More GMOs for release, says NABDA DG

·       ARCN points Bt cowpea scarcity

Lt Pretty AIT, Middle Rt Vincent Daily Trust both winners of OFAB Grant.

The Director-General (DG) National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha has said five more Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) crops will soon be released into the Nigerian markets for more improved yield to stem down food prices.

Prof. Mustapha said this at the recently Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Nigeria (OFAB) held in Abuja.

NABDA DG disclosed cassava, maize and soybean as part of the crops that would soon be released into the market as GMO crops being a biotechnology scientific tool to increase foods production to reduce the sky rocking food prices.

Meanwhile the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) head, planning, research and statistics Dr. Aliyu Madugu has identified scarcity of Bt cowpea seeds for many farmers looking for it, thereby calling for more private seed companies to invest in the commercial multiplication of the new improved technology for more accessibility in the market places.

Dr. Madugu pointed that ‘’ the Bt cowpea is new product in the market. Accessing the seed is not possible for some farmers because it has hot exhausted, with only three companies being awarded the right to make production of the seed’’

ARCN planning director commended the effort so far taken to correct this saying ‘’  added that ‘‘I am happy OFAB, NABDA, and Seed Council are currently trying to see how they could bring in other seed companies so that the production will be more and farmers will have access. With biotechnology, every other thing will be addressed.

Also speaking through virtual zoom, the project manager, Mr. Vitumnbiko Chinoko stressed the need for integration of biotechnology into the productivity of food systems towards checkmating malnutrition in the entire world adding that Africa has more numbers of unwell fed people.

In her remark, the Country OFAB director, Dr. Rose Gidabo was optimist of increasing the cowpea seeds availability to farmers saying all the government concerned agencies are already in full engagement with other private seeds companies that may be interested in the commercialization of the new improved technology.

Gidado pointed that 32 farmers across the states of the federation had been given the cowpea seedling for multiplications, adding that more would be reached out to subsequently.

Dr. Gidado also said that OFAB, NABDA and Seed Council of Nigeria are already working in synergy to see how they could license more seed companies so that the production will be more available for farmers to access for next farming season just as she advocated for more funding for seeds productivity.