FUAM Vice chancellor harps on food production
The Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM) in Makurdi, Prof. Emmanuel Kutcha, has stressed the need to boost food production in the country against the background that at least five out of every 10 Nigerians misses food daily. Kutcha made the remark in his address at the 41st annual conference of the Genetics […]
The Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM) in Makurdi, Prof. Emmanuel Kutcha, has stressed the need to boost food production in the country against the background that at least five out of every 10 Nigerians misses food daily.
Kutcha made the remark in his address at the 41st annual conference of the Genetics Society of Nigeria (GSN) holding at the university premises in the Benue State capital, Makurdi.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the institution, Prof. John Ayoade, Kutcha challenged the body to work hard to tackle hunger in the country so that by 2050 when Nigeria population as projected would be 450 million people, there will be enough food for all.
"Four out of 10 Nigerians are at risk of sleeping without food while five out of every 10 Nigerians are missing food daily. Therefore, I urge GSN to address the big work in their hands by increasing production of food and animals through improved seeds," the vice chancellor said.
On his part, the National President of GSN, Prof. Emmanuel Kwon-Ndung, noted that this year’s conference tagged, "Genetics and National Economic Revival" was aimed at exploring intellectual scientific knowledge in a bid to step up local genetic resources for national and international scientific utilisation.
Kwon-Ndung added: "With respect to contemporary happenings in our own discipline -in what is popularly referred to as the GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms, our society is poised to properly guide the public on the safe use and application of this science for development of the nation."