Alliance for Science seeks synergy for effective biotechnology communication

Alliance for Science Nigeria has called on stakeholders in the Agricultural sector to pull resources together for effective communication of the gains of using modern technology such as biotechnology in farming.

The Coordinator of Alliance for Science, Nigeria, Opuah Abeikwen stated this during this year’s edition of Science Hangout, which is where scientists meet with journalists and other stakeholders.

Abeikwen further said that the gains of biotechnology have been felt in South Africa with the introduction of Genetically Modified maize, and in Nigeria which has commercialised beans and cotton.

“There are challenges in the agricultural system, all these years, research in conventional breeding has not been able to solve these challenges, but biotechnology has proven that it can conquer all these challenges and it continues to show that promise, we have the maize in South Africa, beans and cotton with very positive results in Nigeria.

“With our population and cultural settings and misinformation going out there, there is a need for collaboration and more partnership to foster communication of biotechnology. That is why the Alliance for Science is stepping in and we are coming up with this science hangout”, he said.

He explained that “science hangout is more like an informal platform where scientists engage the media and other stakeholders in conversations that are based on scientific principles.

Also, the Country Coordinator of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Dr Rose Gidado said misinformation has caused harm to the acceptability of the technology.

She said Anti-GMO has cultivated fear of the technology in the hearts of Nigerians who are mostly emotional when it comes to negative stories.

“Some of the challenges we are facing are people talking badly of the technology, antagonizing our efforts. In the cause of telling people the science behind the technology so that they can be comfortable, and confidence will be reposed in them, as soon as you are done, you may think that you have succeeded in doing that, but suddenly the Anti-GMO, they will go and say their own, and you know that people listen more to negative stories.”

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE