The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) is set to massively impact the agricultural sector through the production of 5 million yam seedlings designated for farmers’ use.
Alex Akpa, acting director-general for the NABDA, made this known at a webinar conference entitled ‘Curbing COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria: Analysing the Role of Plant Genetic Modification in Boosting Immunity Against Infectious Diseases’.”
Biotechnology is commonly used in medicine but has many other useful applications besides those that are medically related. Many fall under agriculture and food science given the development of transgenic crops, plants that are genetically modified to include beneficial traits.
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The foods developed with biotechnology usually start in laboratories , which play a significant role in the world’s future by producing crops that taste better, last longer, can grow anywhere and are resistant to damage from insects or droughts.
During his remarks, Akpa emphasized the importance of applying biotechnology in areas like health, agriculture and the environment for the benefit of mankind, while reiterating the agency’s recent achievement of producing 1 million yam seedlings, which were distributed to farmers for planting.
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“In our yam multiplication program, last year, we were able to produce 1 million yam seedlings and this year, we are targeting 5 million yam seedlings, all these things are feasible because of Biotechnology”.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive problem in the world and here in Nigeria. We all know that at this time, Biotechnology is a tool that is extremely important and useful not only to Nigeria but to the whole world,.” Akpa noted.
