Biotechnology critical to addressing food security, says minister

Ishaq Salako, minister of state for environment, says the adoption of biotechnology is critical to attaining food security, job creation, and poverty eradication in Nigeria. 

Salako said this on Tuesday, at the stakeholder meeting on biosafety and biotechnology, in Abuja.

The minister said biotechnology has birthed revolutionary breakthroughs in environmental science and agriculture.

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to remodelling the Nigerian economy for growth and development. 

“The deployment of modern biotechnology is critical to achieving this vision of Mr. President and we are determined to ensure that our biotechnology solutions are well grounded in scientific evidence, ethical deployment, safe application and freedom of choice,” Salako said.

“Biotechnology remains an important tool in our quest to adapt to the challenges of climate change. In healthcare, it has redefined our approach to disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment thus helping patient outcomes and beaming positivity around diseases previously considered incurable.”

He said he is aware of some concerns around biotech products, especially in the agriculture sector, vis-a-vis genetically modified crops.

Salako noted that food sovereignty must be founded within the context of the “global village”.

“The world has become a village, and everybody is a citizen of the world in a way,” he added. 

“The important point to note is that within the Nigerian context, we have been able to develop ourselves over time. Our research institutions are also able to develop some of these seeds. 

“So when you talk about food sovereignty and all that stuff, I don’t know what they are talking about. As we develop here, we exchange with other parts of the world, as the other part of the world also develops, they also exchange with us.

“Biotechnology as a sector has a lot to offer to drive agriculture output, environmental protection and healthcare services, and Nigeria is doing all her best to ensure that they are not left behind.”

The minister assured Nigerians of the safety of the environment, integrity of the nation’s ecosystems, well-being of citizens and national interest, while advancing biotechnology in the country with regulatory support from the National Biosafety Management Agency.

“Biotechnology to us is therefore not just a policy or a set of regulations, it is a commitment to the conscientious stewardship of life itself grounded on facts and figures and not sentiments or commercial drive,” the minister added. 

“Our commitment is to ensure that whatever advancements we make, must not come at the cost of our planet’s health, the health of the people and our moral compass.”

In January, the federal government approved the release of four ‘Tela maize’ species for commercial planting in the country.

The move placed Nigeria as second on the list of African countries to adopt and commercialise the maize variety, and other genetically modified seeds, after South Africa.