Mozambique, Ethiopia benefit from Nigeria's achievements - NABDA

Mozambique and Ethiopia are now beneficiaries of the progress and achievements Nigeria recorded in biotechnology and biosafety as delegates from both countries visited Nigeria on learning tourism.

Dr Olga Fatetine, Director General of Agronomical Research Institute of Mozambique and Prof. Firew Mekbib, Chairman, National Variety Release Committee, Ethiopia with their entourage, visited the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mozambique's Fafetine expressed appreciation to Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, NABDA's Director General, not only for sharing the progress and achievements made in agricultural biotechnology, but in other areas of biotechnology.

"This visit is at a good time, at a time when Mozambique is discussing the role of biotechnology in accelerating agricultural production.

"Our farmers are facing a lot of problems in the field and their productivity is low,'' Mozambique's Director of Agronomical Research Institute said.

She, however, noted that Mozambique was moving together with the rest of African countries in making use of agricultural biotechnology.

She disclosed that they were researching for almost 15 years and currently doing field trial for TELLA maize under the supervision of authorities in the ministry of Science and Technology.

Fafetine expressed optimism that after the field trial of the TELLA maize, they would produce the varieties to give their farmers which would help them increase productivity.

"By this visit, we are hoping to share with Nigeria on the procedure for release of cowpea, we hope to release the variety to help our farmers increase their productivity,'' she said.

Prof. Mekbib of Ethiopia said Africa was the only food insecure continent and underscored the need for collaboration by working together in the biotechnology and biosafety space.

He said there was a lot to be learnt by such collaboration in the best interest of all parties, noting that they were encouraged and motivated by what Nigeria had achieved.

Earlier, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the D-G of NABDA, had taken the visitors through a comprehensive overview of the NABDA.

Mustapha spoke on the approval of biotechnology policy by the Federal Executive Council, emergence of NABDA, vision and mission, specific mandates of the agency, national goals as well as NABDA'S manpower and specialisations.

"Government has put in place all resources in one place to see how it can achieve the target of using biotechnology to advance the economy of the country,'' he said.

Highlighting key researches, development activities and achievements, the NABDA boss said the agency developed bioenergy digesters and test system for bio-mass energy quantification and optimization.

He said the technology was already patented and Momorandum of Understanding signed with Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to deploy the technology to community level.

He told the visitors what the agency was doing via industrial biotechnology in Yoghurt Starter Culture production and development.

He spoke on thermal resistant yeast isolation for bioethanol production and establishment of small scale bio-organic fertilizer plant as well as the Act establishing the agency.

He further said NABDA had put in place a modern hatchery for quality fingerlings and brood stock supply and fish feed production facility at the headquarters.

He said that through National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), the agency had facilitated the Naming, Registration and Release to farmers, one chicken breed and various crops varieties to farming communities.

Also, signing of Memorandum of Agreement to boost Deployment of Stem Cell Therapy and Food Security in Nigeria with RAHAD Global Industries among other achievements.

Dr Francis Onyekachi, Manager, Stewardship at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), stressed the need to domesticate technologies, adding that biotechnology was needed in Africa and Nigeria.

He said the essence of the meeting was to domesticate science in Africa.