Biotechnology key to address food insecurity in Nigeria — UNIMAID VC

May 17, 2024 - 16:41

Biotechnology key to address food insecurity in Nigeria — UNIMAID VC

The Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, has said biotechnology is the only way to ensure food security in the current economic meltdown in the country.

Shugaba stated this while delivering a lecture at the 36th International Conference of Biotechnology Society of Nigeria, in Maiduguri on Thursday.

He explained that if Federal, States and Local will adopt biotechnological agriculture will help in improving crop yields and selectivity in desired traits in plants and vegetables which will a key to food security.

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According to him, some of the developed countries have opportunity to work more quickly and precisely as a result of food biotechnology which has the potential to improve the food production process.

“Biotechnology is the only way in which we can increase our food production, if we can use it accordingly will help in reducing poverty and hunger.

“One of the objectives of biotechnology is to enable more land to be cultivated and more food to be produced.

“Biotechnology in agriculture has enormous economic importance in reducing insecticide use, protects biodiversity, reduces erosion, increases tolerance to droughts and floods, and improves nutrition.

“Funding research for biotechnology will help in finding solutions to address Nigeria’s food insecurity and economic meltdown.

“The University of Maiduguri has established a B.Sc. Biotechnology Programme aimed at providing the needed professionals to stimulate

the application of biotechnology to transform the health environment, agriculture, care, and industries for the country’s socio-economic growth.”

He urged government at all levels to fund biotechnology research with the view to discover something new in addressing problems in the country through biotechnological methods.

“I am also happy to inform this gathering that Resource Verification visit by the National Universities Commission (NUC) last year has positioned the department well for academic activities. The mission for the department is to provide a sound footing in theories, methodologies, the different fields and applications for biotechnology for sustainable economic growth and development.

“The University of Maiduguri Centre for Biotechnology is the North-East

Zonal Biotechnology Centre of Excellence. It is gratifying to inform you that the Centre has achieved a lot despite the many challenges facing research in this country.

“The Centre’s laboratories of Plant Tissue Culture and Molecular Biology are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The two laboratories have attracted over N6O million of research grants as well as $20,000 in interventions, particularly, in the area of Biorisk management.

“On this note, I want to use the opportunity to thank the past and present management of the Centre for Biotechnology for their contributions to the development of Biotechnology at University of Maiduguri,” Shugaba stated.