The Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, highlighted the transformative impact of the commercialized Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea on Nigeria’s food production.
Speaking at a Biotechnology Workshop in Ekiti State, he emphasized NABDA’s commitment to deploying safe biotechnology tools to revolutionize food production in Nigeria and Africa.
Professor Mustapha also mentioned other transgenic crops in the pipeline, such as TELA maize and HT soybean, targeted for commercialization.
He reassured that the transgenic cowpea has shown no ill-health effects on humans and animals and is positively affecting Nigerian farmers by reducing the need for insecticide sprays.
The NABDA Director General stressed the agency’s dedication to training farmers and stakeholders in adopting this technology.
He urged participants to embrace biotechnology and raise awareness at the grassroots level to fight hunger and poverty in the nation.
Dr. Rose Gidado, Director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Department at NABDA, discussed the importance of effective science communication in enlightening the public about biotechnology and its significance, especially concerning the case of PBR cowpea.