The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) has said that the two varieties of transgenic cotton has addressed the issues of low yield, high production cost and insect attacks on cotton farms which were some of the factors that led to the almost shutdown of the Nigerian textile industry.
The Director General of NABDA, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha while speaking at One-Day Training Workshop for Bt Cotton Farmers and Stakeholder held in Abuja, said in the last 3 to 4 decades, biotechnology worldwide has shifted from being seen as a strategic emerging industry to one of the mainstays of most advanced nations’ strategic industries, making biotechnology one of the key pillars of development of any nation.
The training workshop was organized by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria Chapter under the auspices of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN).
Professor Mustapha said it has become necessary to use advanced technological tools like genetic engineering in crop production to generate yields at economically viable scales for Nigerian farmers and for the revival of collapsing industries.
According to him, Nigeria commercialized its first genetically modified crop, Bt cotton in 2018, aimed at revitalizing its comatose textile industry and boost economic development.
“Recall that the textile industry in Nigeria was a major employer of labour and revenue-earner in the 70s. Statistics indicate that at its peak, between 1970 and1990, it comprised about 130 modern factories and supported numerous other ancillary firms, providing about 350,000 direct jobs and 1.2 million indirect jobs among farmers, suppliers, transporters, dealers, traders and exporters.
“Today however, only about 33 factories remain standing and the local cotton industry is comatose, primarily due to lack of good seeds, low yields and high production costs associated with insect damage. These pests reduce yields by up to 60 percent which has implications on farmers’ profits and have also been found to be detrimental to the environment.
“This development motivated NABDA’’s collaboration with the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Zaria, Bayer and Mahyco Agricultural Nigeria Ltd, for the development, commercialization and deployment of new varieties of transgenic hybrid cotton.
“The cotton has been genetically modified to include a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis; a soil bacterium used extensively for insect pest control in organic agriculture to provide pest resistance within the plant itself”, he stated.
The NABDA DG further said that the Bt Cotton can produce 4.1 to 4.4 tons per hectare, compared to the local variety, which yields just 600 to 900 kilograms per hectare.
He stated that since Bt cotton can resist the devastating bollworm and tolerate sucking insects, it will help farmers reduce their use of pesticides, thus minimizing environmental impacts and lowering production costs.
“These varieties of Bt cotton are suitable for cultivation in all of Nigeria’s cotton growing zones. In addition to the pest-resistant traits, they offer early maturity, fibre length of 30.0 to 30.5 millimeters and fibre strength of 26.5 to 27.0g/tex (tenacity) and micronaire (strength) of 3.9 to 4.1. Bt Cotton varieties will save farmers the trouble of contending with the local conventional variety, which is no longer accepted at the international markets.
“Bt. cotton therefore raises hope for textile industry revival as the commercialization has started a revolution that will help Nigeria in its cotton shortage”, he added.
In her presentation, the Country Coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology, Dr Rose Gidado, said the aim of the training workshop is to bring together the key cotton stakeholders including farmers.
She said the information collected from the engagement will be used to create content for both local television and radio programming, including the production of compelling narratives describing how the Bt cotton has improved livelihood.
Furthermore, she said the objectives are to provide education to counter misinformation and increase understanding of crop varieties improved using biotechnology, and to collect the experiences of farmers and communities where Bt cotton has been adopted and relate these stories to the broader community in Nigeria, West Africa and globally.
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