Abuja, Nigeria (CU)_ According to Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director General (DG) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), the future of Nigeria’s food security is dependent on the country’s ability to adopt major technologies such as biotechnology as the engine room for combating hunger.
Addressing the stakeholders at the opening of the highly enhanced PBR Cowpea/Bean variety at the Eat is Believing-Biotech Beans Advocacy Program at the NABDA Headquarters in Abuja included envoys from Ghana headed by Dr. Emmanuel Marfor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), and Prof. Ebenezer Okletey Terlarbi, Ranking Member, Parliamentary Select Committee, Policy Makers, Farmers, and Regulators on PBR Cowpea/Bean with a focus on further improving scientific bilateral cooperation throughout Africa for food sustainability.
According to the NABDA chief Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, biotechnology is an innovative technology of the twenty-first century that has been demonstrated globally to increase productivity, lower drudgery, and raise yields, resulting in increased food security in agriculture and economic prosperity. He was ecstatic that the PBR Cowpea/Bean is a classic illustration of how technology may help farmers overcome one of the most significant obstacles in cowpea production.
According to Mustapha, NABDA plays a major role in biotechnology development in the nation. He said, “NABDA, based on her mandate, is therefore at the forefront of Biotechnology deployment and domestication in Nigeria in the four sectors of the economy-Agriculture, Health Environment and Industry in order to respond positively to national aspirations on food security, job/wealth creation, affordable healthcare delivery, industrialization and sustainable environment”.
Mustapha further explained the cowpea breeding in the past. He said, “Needless, I bother you with the long history of several attempts by cowpea breeders who tried to find solutions to ravaging attacks of Maruca. For many years without success in the past, this technology has taken care of that and its potentials to improve other crops have started emerging. Farmers in Nigeria are excited with the performance of this new variety and giving testimonies. There are videos of this.
Mustapha added, “Going down the history lane of Bt. Cowpea/Bean project in Nigeria, NABDA in carrying out her mandate of biotechnology facilitation, and as a requisite for compliance to biosafety regulation, in 2010/2011, in partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Kenya, designed, constructed a level -2 containment facility, which was used for Biosafety containment studies at International Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, where this project was developed.”
