Minister requests bioscientists to develop climate-smart strategies to increase agricultural output

Chief Uche Nnaji, minister of innovation, science, and technology, has promoted the adoption of precision agriculture and climate-smart technologies to boost productivity and reduce food instability.

Nnaji made this statement on Monday in Abuja at the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria’s (BSN) 35th annual conference.

“Improving Nigeria’s Economic Research Resilience through Innovative Biotechnology” is the conference’s theme.

According to him, other cutting-edge technologies like synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and tissue engineering will continue to hold promise for the future of agriculture’s production of crops and cattle.

“Harnessing the promise of these technologies for food security will require huge investments in research, development, and dissemination, regional and worldwide collaboration, as well as technology foresight and assessment to boost agricultural advances.

In order to meet the President’s renewed hope agenda for Nigeria, Nnaji added, “I therefore charge all of you, members of BSN and other relevant stakeholders, to chart innovative ways capable of resolving this pressing issue of food security.”

The minister, who was in the person of the ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr. James Sule, stated that the nation needed to make investments in basic scientific skills like research and development.

However, he asserted that integrating innovation, science, and technology into daily life was essential to attaining the country’s development objectives across all economic sectors.

Prof. Martins Emeje, the director general of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), advised scientists to assume their duties and develop ideas that could stimulate the economy.

Emeje, however, requested that the Federal Government host a summit of all scientists in the nation to address some of the problems relating to agriculture and inventions.

The conference’s goal, according to Prof. Mohammed Yerima, President of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), was to build a foundation for better understanding of scientific issues related to the security of food and nutrition, human health and well-being, and a cleaner environment.

“It is one thing for farmers to employ free resources from God like carbon dioxide and rainwater to cultivate food crops; it is quite another for scientists to add value to such agricultural output.

The application of contemporary biotechnology can be used to improve the nutritional value of food crops.

Yerima stated that it was crucial to consider new possibilities, particularly cutting-edge technologies that benefited farmers and were well-liked by customers.

Additionally, he stated that “Genome” editing of food crops and animals was thought to be a crucial tool in addressing a number of issues in the agricultural food systems and human health.

The conference will also serve as a productive environment for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, supporting the sharing of ideas, and fostering the next generation of biotechnologists, according to Mr. Andrew Ilohon, Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the event.

We can use the power of biotechnology to confront these problems head-on and open the door to a better, healthier, and more sustainable future via our combined efforts and unflinching dedication.

Prof. Paul Onyenekwe, the director general of Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHETSCO), claimed that biotechnology represented the harmonious fusion of biology, technology, and human ingenuity and that it empowers one to harness the complex mechanisms of life to address some of the most pressing problems.

According to him, the advancement of synthetic biology had made it possible to design and build biological systems, which led to the creation of biofuels, bio-based products, and even artificial organs.

“As we embrace the wonders of biotechnology innovation, we must also be conscious of the ethical issues that emerge.

“We must make sure that the benefits of our labour are shared fairly and responsibly, protecting people’s rights, dignity, and privacy while fostering equal access to these game-changing technologies around the world.