The Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Professor Abdullahi Mustapha has said that the commercialised Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea (beans) is revolutionising the country’s food production.
Mustapha stated this at the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State during a one-day biotechnology workshop for the Southwest region of Nigeria.
He said NABDA is already deploying safe biotechnology tools that are targeted at revolutionizing food production in Nigeria and the African continent at large.
The NABDA boss further stated that the country has some transgenic crops on the pipeline which include TELA maize, and HT soybean, among others.
“At the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), we are already deploying safe biotechnology tools that are targeted at revolutionizing food production in Nigeria and the African Continent at large.
“Transgenic crops in the pipeline of commercialization include TELA maize, and HT soybean, among several others.
“Nigeria’s transgenic cowpea, which is the world’s first genetically modified Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea, is revolutionising the nation’s food production.
“There have been no track records of any ill-health effect on human and animal, the crops are rather penetrating the deepest region of the Nigerian market, improving the livelihoods and health of the Nigerian local farmers through insecticide spray reduction,” he said.
Mustapha, however, said that the agency will not relent in its efforts to continually train farmers and other stakeholders on the adoption of this cutting-edge technology.
While commending the key players contributing to the success of the adoption and deployment of biotechnology in Nigeria, the NABDA DG urged participants at the workshop to embrace the technology and sensitise others at the grassroots to enhance the fight against hunger and poverty in the nation.
The Director Agricultural Biotechnology Department at the NABDA, Dr Rose Gidado said while presenting a paper titled ‘Breaking the barriers of prejudices through science communication- the case of PBR cowpea’, harped on the importance of effective science communication which said will enlighten the public on the importance of biotechnology.
“We carried out some activities in order to bring the science behind BT cowpea development closer to the people, dull the noise of the crusaders and all,” Gidado added.
