In the last two years,the National Biotechnology Developement Agency (NABDA), had reduce to the barest minimum the influx of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), for obvious reasons of the presence of a good manager at the helms of affairs of National Biotechnology Developement Agency NABDA,under the leadership of Ag Director General of the Agency , Professor Alex Casmir, Uwadiegwu Akpa.
This was against the backdrop of hue and cry of many Nigerians, that attracted the Nigerian government and Lawmakers attention on the negative consequences of allowing these products flood the Nigeria markets, amidst growing health emergency across the world.
NABDA under the current leadership did not only redouble efforts to develop new crops,fruits and other necessary ingredients and it’s usage,but improve on the existing ones to contend with the current challenges,that had diverted the attention of most Nigerians into the consumption of goods regarded as inimical to the health of the people.
The quick intervention of the leadership of the Agency in the current dispensation, had nipped in the bud the likelihood of any unforeseen health emergency arising from the adaptation and abuse by many Nigerians, to the artificial products known as Genetically Modified Species.
It became so critical that average Nigerian homes had preference for the readily available products in crops,fruits,and other essentials meant for human consumption,but had long term health hazards because of it’s unregulated and abuse.
The decision of the new Management to introduce,improve and modify more of this consumables adversely affected the continuous patronage of GMO’s to the betterment of Nigerians.
Under Professor Akpa,production of Maruka resistance Bt. Cowpea and Yam species were greatly enhanced through high yield to meet the commercial demands of Nigerians and consumption,along with provision of bio-fertilisers,bio-pesticides and bio-fungicides at commercial scale to encourage both subsistence and mechanised farmers.
This was made possible through collaboration of I.A.R. Zaria,MDA’s and the establishment of bio-crops that had produced 1M high yields for use by Nigerian farmers with a target of 5M annual patronage by farmers in Nigeria.
The Maruka resistance beans had address the attacks of pests seasonally as well as stabilize the production of 5M high yield disease free yams annually.
The introduction two new varieties of Bt Cotton and validation of the productivity claims of the two varieties
namely (MRC7377 BG11) and (MRC7361 BG1),for commercial purposes.
Considering the economic importance of the production of Cotton and high revenue generation,the validation assessment has improved the production per hectare from 250kg-750kg,to between 3500kg-7500kg,after the release.
This will encourage more orientation and training of Cotton farmers in the subsequent years to improve on the economy of Nigeria from 1300-2000 per annum, with a projected 10,000 annualy by encouraging enterpreneurship and cost reduction of the Cotton .
Fish production was not also left out of the innovations at the Agency,having established some zonal offices in riverine areas with attention on mass production of fish and fingerlings.
This is enhanced through
the ‘development of high efficiency aquaponics system to enhance agricultural economics of fishery and vegetable production.’
‘NABDA has developed advanced systems for
fish and vegetables production using the
aquaponics technology. Targeted fish species include cat fish and all-male tilapia; and the vegetables include cabbage, pepper, tomato and onions.’
‘The Agency has also completed the
development and deployment of fish feed formulation facility that uses local bio-mass for commercial scale fish feed production.’
‘The project will further
diversify into production and
supply of advanced quality
(bio-engineered) fingerlings,
brood-stock and feed to the
Nigerian fish farmers;’
‘ Development of appropriate
commercialization model to
enable private sector
investment in aquaponics
(integrated fish and
vegetables production) and
bio-engineered fish feed
production;’
‘Promotion of
entrepreneurship in
aquaponics through multi-
level training and provision
of entrepreneurship support
facilities;’
Aside this,the agency under the erudite Professor Akpa ,amidst crises to address the world ravaged pandemic of COVID-19 health emergency, had already developed a robust test kit for COVID-19 and vaccine in partnership with foreign bodies,National Centre For Disease Control NCDC,as well as University of Shelfield for the production of RNA Rapid Test Kit for The
Detection of Sars-Cov-2 (Causative agent for COVID-19) and Vaccine Development.
This feat was achieved amidst high rates of deaths arising from the unexpected world health emergency with no solutions from the developed and developing countries interms of drugs and vaccine to arrest the situation, that shut down the world economy for months with Nigeria not excluded.
Other arrangements include collaboration with both local foriegn agencies in Cuba for the production of vaccine for COVID-19 and other bio-pharmaceuticals,which include some infectious diseases and five major child killer diseases,including diagnosis.
This is in addition to using sugarcane and cassava for the production of hand sanitizers through bio-ethanol products from cassava and sugarcane to address COVID-19,since the abundance of this two species will reduce it’s importation for similar purpose.
Not done with this feat,it further move and developed,validated
protocol for the production of re-agents for real time PCR to eliminate test delays due to shortage of re-agents and conserve foreign exchange,among other commercial use,as well as deploy to monitor changes and effects of the scourge.
Because of the importance of this reasearch amidst health implications, In furtherance of this achievement, the Agency has developed and submitted proposal to the government, on strategic testing to enable the determination of changes in COVID-19 genetic material for improved treatment through drug
repurposing.
Another major breakthrough of the current Management of NABDA in it’s efforts to minimize or bring to the barest minimum the National crises of farmers /herders clash, that had brought untold hardships and heavy losses in both human and economic situation, through the developement of hydrophonics system to advance ranching across the nation in partnership with both private and commercial herders
‘Three prototypes are presently been developed with 3 indigenous less
competitive grains namely sorghum, millet and
wheat are also explored.’
‘The technology for fodder production
is an on-going project in NABDA and the
objectives are as follows:’
‘Deploy biotechnological
solutions for the production of safe,
high quality and nutritious fodders
to minimize the farmers/herders’,
‘Food-feed resources competition
with associated killings across the
country; and
To support ranch development in
all the different parts of the country
on different scales of production.’
The importance of alrernative energy generation to augment the ones provided by AEDC cannot be overemphasized,as the Agency under its new leadership had move to ressolve energy related issues, through the convening of Bio-digester to provide Bio-energy both in private and commercial quantity, after passing through due diligence of pilot testing ,as this intend to serve to a large extent unresolved energy problems in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and other private conglomerates
‘Within the period under review, NABDA has developed modular bio-digesters for bio-energy production and use in electricity generation.’
‘The project was a direct response to the need to meet Nigeria’s target of 5% bio-mass energy in the National energy mix’
Within the period under review ,it had acquired both human and material resources in conjunction with Food and Drugs Administration of America, with a view to repurposing of drugs to meet up with new ailement like Lassa Fever and other hermorrhagic disease.
In addition to identification of genetic basis for the trypano-tolerance by a species called Mutura cattle breed.This is aimed at improving the production of cattle in Nigeria as a result of the resistance of the killer disease (Trypanosomiasis),with more research and application to other cattle breeds in Nigeria under the supervision of NABDA.
Soya Bean production and developement was not left out, because of the economic importance (Ht Soya Beans),was invented in collaboration with Michigan University having developed herbicide tolerant soya beans to enhance food and animal feed production in Nigeria.
It had undergone various processor test and examination and fit for commercial consumption.
Another major break through of Professor Ukpa led NABDA is the area of preservation of fruits like Mangoe,Orange and peers,as this fruits always stands the risk of been kept for further consumption and wastages.
‘In partnership with private sector and
constituency representatives, NABDA has concluded arrangement for the deployment of biotechnology in the storage, processing and concentrate production from fruits such as
tomatoes, mangos, oranges, and peers etc. to minimize post-harvest losses, improve farmer income, and ensure all year-round availability.
of the benefits of the value
chain; and
Further R&D on development
of early maturing and high
yielding species of economic
trees for juice production.
The Agency has also made progress on the developement of long shelf life tomatoes for preservation,storage and usage to reduce the hazards of rottenness and other circumstances through transportation and storage.
This is bound to be acheive through collation of various species/germplasm from various locations and areas to identify traits and ecological zones.
The production of milk and meat in indigenous livestock is been carried out through sperm identification in partnership with the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(FMARD) as NABDA is in receipt of
conservation equipment to enable sperm
banking and artificial insemination.
Under his watch,’Establishment of Nigerian Microbial Culture
Collection (NMCC) Web Portal and
Database for Online Archiving of
Sequenced Indigenous Microbial Strains
Human resource development for strict
compliance with existing standards,
regulations, and methods of establishing MCC and collecting microbes.’
The Professor Pharmateutical Microbiology and Biotechnology established bio-informatics facility to keep the updated records of research and development in the Agency.
‘This facility is to serve as central data
repository for genetic engineering and advance Biotechnology research in Nigeria; and
The facility is Nigeria’s first silico-lab designed to assist the private and public sector in genetic engineering and bioinformatics information retrieval and manipulation.’
With this efforts,just two years in office,it is believe that the success stroy in NABDA will now be a recuring decimal, after the substantive appointement of the Ag Director General, Professor Alex Casmir Uwadiegwu Akpa.
OBSERVERS TIMES Editorial NOTE