The Deputy Director, NABDA/Country Coordinator OFAB Nigeria, Dr. Rose Maxwell Gidado has said that the solution to the nation’s food chain security lies on the strength of Agricultural Biotechnology.
Adding that, the projected population of 400 million people by 2050 coupled with the pandemic effect will amount to a risk in decreased farming population due to some major factors.
“The current population of over 200 million people and projected population of 400 million people by 2050 coupled with COVID19 pandemic effect, Nigeria will be faced with the risk of decreased farming population due to age, decreased arable land, poverty, malnutrition and hunger because the conventional method agriculture can no longer meet up with our demands. Agricultural Biotechnology holds the solution to our food security.”
Gidado, stated this recently during a National Media Summit webinar meeting, with the theme: The Status of Agricultural Biotechnology Research in Nigeria: Media Update, in Abuja.
While presenting a paper on ‘Background and Agenda Setting: Agricultural Biotechnology Research in Nigeria’, Dr. Rose said Agricultural biotechnology, feeds most developed countries like USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and have transformed farming to a profitable business. “With the current state of Agriculture in Nigeria, It has become paramount to also adopt this technology to improve our productivity and revive our industries. The time is now, let us sensitize people on the potentials of this innovation to aid decision making and adoption in Nigeria.
“Several research scientific findings have highlighted science communication as one of the several key variables that is required for the creation of an enabling environment for agric biotechnology adoption and usage. Continuous efforts are needed to make sure that every member of the general public have an accurate understanding of its application. Therefore, the need for effective science communication that will debunk public myths about agricultural biotechnology and its tools has moved from being urgent to emergency as many poor countries whom agricultural biotechnology is supposed to benefit the most, are being deprived due to false information and myths,” she stressed.
Speaking, the National President of all Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Arc. Kabiru Ibrahim said that without a great farmer, there will not be a great nation. Adding that, the COVID19 pandemic has ravaged the global food system and that Nigerians should expect the effects to linger for a long period, “and so Nigeria must be ready to innovate and disrupt as well as embrace good science and technology to avert hunger which could be more devastating than the COVID19 pandemic,” he stated.
