The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has disclosed that the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIRRO), Oshodi together with other institutes have developed over 250 technologies towards supporting the Agro-allied sub-sector of the economy.
He made this disclosure while delivering a lecture titled: “Economic Diversification and National Development in Nigeria: The Role of Science and Technology” to Participants of Course 28 at National Defence College, Abuja.
According to him, in the 80s, Nigeria spent more than $500 million dollars importing Barley malt for the breweries.
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The minister further said that research findings by FIRRO indicated that sorghum was a better substitute to the imported Barley malt for brewing, adding that banning of imported Barley malt by the Federal Government had saved the country huge foreign exchange.
“There were many textile industries in Nigerian years back but they collapsed due to the inability of farmers to supply these industries with sufficient cotton,” he stated.
He, therefore, directed the Biotechnology Development Agency to begin the process of using Bio-Technology to produce a new variety of cotton for distribution to farmers.
This, according to him, is one of the means to revive the ailing textile industries as well as creating jobs and wealth for the nation.