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NAN-H-41
Biotech
By Gabriel Agbeja
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) has urged developing countries to use genetically modified crops to ensure food security.
The Director-General of the complex, Prof. Sunday Thomas, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a workshop organised by the SHESTCO’s Biotechnology Advanced Research Centre.
Thomas said that if well handled, biotechnology could fast-tracking developing nations’ efforts at achieving their set objectives, including food security.
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“We are looking at biotechnology techniques that can be used to improve our agricultural practices with a view to ensuring food security in particular.
“But, the techniques can also be applied to produce plants that could be used in things such as desertification control, erosion control, large-scale plantations, and so on.
“And that is particularly good for our country at this time when the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is looking at how to diversify the economy, especially through enhanced agricultural production.“
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According to the director-general, the major objectives of genetic engineering in agriculture are sustainability, food security, and production of novel biomaterials.
Thomas explained that genetic engineering allowed the transfer of DNA between organisms, whether closely or distantly related.
“This sets the stage for potentially extremely beneficial advancement in crop breeding and led to the first commercial release of genetically engineered crops in 1996.
“Since that time, the adoption of genetic engineered plants by farmers has increased annually, even in the face of opposition, “ he said.
The Coordinator of the workshop, Prof. Abolade Afolabi, said the session was designed to equip participants with the understanding and skills required in modern day biotechnology
“This is useful in studying gen(s) functions and in producing new plant and bacterial types for desired and specific purposes,” Afolabi stated.
In his keynote address, Prof. Olawole Obembe, Director of Industry Partnership, Covenant University, explained that the present century had been predicted to be the “Century of Biology” with the last century having been the “Century of Chemistry and Physics”.
According to him, until about 100 years ago, most building materials, household materials, fuels and clothing came from farms and forests.
“In the last century, we have seen a major shift to such materials coming from petrochemicals derived from fossils.
“Now with biotechnology, we can derive more of the materials in the future from plants and animals produced by our farmers.
“Thus, in the future, farmers should play a vital role in our economic prosperity in addition to their role in food production,” he said.
He said that in the coming decades, climate change would make access to fresh water a huge challenge for agricultural researchers.
The don further said that the adoption of transgenic biotech crops in most developing countries needed regulation.
He, however, added that the difficulty in regulating the adoption of transgenic biotechnology would remain a major constraint. (NAN)
FGA/OSA/YEE
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Emmanuel Yashim
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