Agric research needs a boost in Nigeria

However, many of our institutes and laboratories are suffering from poor funding, epileptic power supply and lack of standard facilities just to mention a few.There is need for more research in the area of agricultural biotechnology in particular as it holds the answers to many of the country’s problems. Agricultural Biotechnology will boost food production, […]

However, many of our institutes and laboratories are suffering from poor funding, epileptic power supply and lack of standard facilities just to mention a few.
There is need for more research in the area of agricultural biotechnology in particular as it holds the answers to many of the country’s problems. Agricultural Biotechnology will boost food production, create jobs, better medicines among others, but there are factors hampering effective biotechnology practice in the country.
The non passage or delay in passing the Bio- Safety Bill into law is one of them. This has prevented activities in the area of research especially in genetic engineering.
According to Andrew Iloh, a Research Fellow at the BIOTECH Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technological Complex Abuja, during a field trip by a delegation of Biosciences for farming in Africa (B4FA) team and journalists, a colleague of his carrying out research in plants in the area of genetic engineering had to halt it because the bio-Safety law has not been passed.
If the law is passed, things will be a lot better and scientists will be free to work on what will change our lives.
Our biotechnology laboratories so far are not well equipped compared with those in the developed nations. For instance, at the Tissue Culture Laboratory of the National Biotechnology Agency (NABDA) there was no power supply when the team visited.
Dr Toyin Solebo, Head of the Tissue Culture Lab said the irregular power supply prevents them from carrying out some research or experiments in the lab.
Also at the BIOTECH Advanced Lab Sheda, there’s only one Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine. PCR is a quick test to determine if the regenerated transgenic cells or plants contain the gene.
Commenting on this, Professor Christopher Leaver, an Emeritus Professor of plant Sciences at St John’s College, University of Oxford said the lab is poorly equipped when compared with labs in developed countries and a lot needs to be done to equip and update our agricultural research laboratories.
Scientists and researchers in the country also require more training in biotechnology.
Our scientists are also not well supported. There is need for more sponsorship of scientific projects and research by government and better remuneration for them.
Our agricultural institutes also need a boost. Acting Executive Director of the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, Niger State, Dr Mark Ukwungwu, said while agricultural research institutes sometimes get aids and grants, inadequate funding has caused some researchers to go abroad for greener pastures.
He however commended government’s current Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) programmes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development saying it is helping against their constraints “a lot of activities at the center had improved – funding, logistics and equipment supports,” he said
A plant breeder with the institute, Dr Maji Alhassan Tswako, said many agricultural research institutes in the country lack infrastructure and are not built to global standards.
Director and Head, Research Support Services Department of the institute, Dr Samuel Agboire said international research institutes are better equipped than ours and while those in the country are sufficient in some areas, others need to be built up like funding and equipping of laboratories.